Asembo defends integrity, dismisses past graft allegations in IEBC chair bid

Robert Asembo, a candidate for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson position, faced a challenging interview session as he defended himself against multiple accusations.  

Appearing before the panel, Asembo, an advocate of the High Court, was pressed on his integrity following memoranda submitted to the panel raising concerns about his conduct.  

The panel questioned him about a civil arrest warrant issued against him in April 2023.  

In his defense, he responded: “I faced a criminal charge but am exploring relevant legally available avenues, and the matter I think should be sub judice. I was convicted but have put an appeal.”  

The IEBC candidate, who served as Football Kenya Federation (FKF) deputy president between 2011 and 2016, was also asked to address allegations of financial mismanagement during his tenure.  

“I believe that was a misconception — we never faced any accusation of misuse of funds,” he said, denying the claims.  

The panel further confronted Asembo with allegations of emotional outbursts, referencing an incident where he allegedly clashed with a client.  

“I was within the court corridor with my client, who was the estranged wife of the defendant, while we were waiting for a matter to be addressed. Before that, I had jailed the defendant for failing to support his children, so I think he was bitter,” he explained, adding that he acted in self-defense after the defendant attacked his client.  

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) had also presented five disciplinary cases against Asembo, accusing him of dishonourable conduct, withholding clients' money amounting to Sh.1.85 million, and improper handling of client funds.  

While two of those cases had been dropped, Asembo denied knowledge of the remaining three.  

“I have not been invited for a hearing; I’m not aware,” he told the panel.  

Despite these concerns, Asembo was issued with a certificate of good conduct, allowing him to participate in the selection process since the pending matters are unresolved.  

He also denied allegations of forging court documents in a children’s court case.  

When asked why he should still be considered for the position despite the accusations, Asembo said: “Under the rule of law, we give room to the courts and parties to exploit the full requisite of the law. We need to allow the law to take its course. Those issues can be resolved,” he stated.  

If appointed, Asembo pledged to engage with citizens at the grassroots level to build trust in the commission, ensure transparent election processes, and lobby for adequate funding for IEBC.  

He also promised to prioritize the regulation of the Election Campaign Act, clean up voter registration, and resolve boundary disputes upon assuming office.