Chebukati: Kin, friends eulogise him as honest

Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chairperson Wafula Wanyonyi Chebukati has been eulogised as straightforward and one who never minced his words.

For the family, he was a loving, honest and supportive father who dedicated his time for them and ensured their well being while he served the country with integrity.

His contribution to electoral process largely marked his legacy for relatives, friends and colleagues who on Wednesday gathered at Citam Karen, Nairobi to pay their last tributes.

The memorial service had every attendee remember Chebukati with gratitude, celebrating the enduring impact of his contribution towards the future of the country’s democracy.

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Chebukati died on the night of February 20, 2025 at a Nairobi hospital after suffering brain tumor, which was diagnosed in April, 2023. His former colleagues at IEBC, where he completed a six-year constitutional term, remembered him as a team player who did not give chance to compromise. They said Chebukati held their hands and led them in making decisions in the best interest of the country.

“He taught us the importance of executing our duties faithfully, and serving the people of Kenya, and all have this dedication, emphasising the need to work on the profound issues of the country,” said Rubadiah Keitan.

Chebukati joined IEBC in January, 2017, after he was appointed as the commission’s chairperson. His job from which he retired in January, 2023, would earn him love and hate in equal measure.

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission chairperson David Oginde consoled mourners with comforting scriptures while presiding over the memorial service. He urged the public to be sensitive and accord the family time to grieve. “We are standing with you. But this is a time when some people take opportunity and pick stones and throw them at those who are grieving. It is not right. It is not Godly,” he said.

His colleagues in the legal profession, which he practised for decades after he was admitted to the bar in 1986, celebrated him for bringing jurisprudence within IEBC even as he championed other reforms in the electoral body. “We cannot deny the impact he had on the electoral processes. He developed a lot and ensured some more participation among the youth,” said Faith Odhiambo, Law Society of Kenya chairperson.

Former Attorney General Githu Muigai remembered Chebukati as one who stood with his conscience, expressing that the “void he has left can never be filled.”

Ugenya MP David Ochieng who represented MPs said Chebukati was focused and never bow to pressure.

“He was a rare chairman of IEBC. He never sought for favours from anybody. He did his job well,” he said. 

According to the family, the late was firm, honest and courageous father and husband. Mary Chebukati, his wife, celebrated her husband as dependable. “You were a man of integrity. You despised lies,” she said, adding she will miss the moments she shared with him.

His two sons Emanuel and Jonathan Chebukati described him as the best dad and one who instilled in them the sense of responsibility. “You loved us deeply, and worked tirelessly to ensure we had all we needed and more.” shared Emmanuel.

His daughter, Rachel, celebrated him as a father who encouraged her to “aim for the sky and always believe in myself.”

Beyond family and profession, he was a social man who also loved sport, particularly Golf. His former teammates celebrated him as a dedicated and committed golfer.