Couldn't risk: Sifuna reacts as IEBC chair 'dodges' photo opportunity with him

This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.

- Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna revealed that IEBC chairman Erastus Ethekon declined to be photographed with him at the LSK Gala dinner in Diani

- Sifuna warned Ethekon that the Bomas of Kenya will be far more intense than the LSK session, urging the commission to get procurement right

- The senator used the platform to call for a lawyer to ascend to the presidency, linking the push to the approaching 2027 general election

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has revealed that Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Erastus Ethekon declined to appear in any photographs with him during the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Gala dinner held in Diani, Kwale County, on Friday, August 15.

Speaking at the event, Sifuna said he was pleased to spot Ethekon among fellow lawyers in attendance, but that the IEBC chairman drew the line at being photographed alongside him.

Sifuna Jokes About the 'Cost' of Being Seen With Him

The senator offered a lighthearted but pointed explanation for why Ethekon may have been reluctant.

He pointed to the fates of politicians who have been publicly associated with him, including Vihiga senator Godfrey Osotsi, who was removed as ODM deputy party leader and as chair of the County Public Investments Committee in the Senate, and Bumula MP Jack Wamboka, who lost his chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee in the National Assembly.

"Those who have associated with me have lost quite a bit," Sifuna told the gathering, advising anyone eager for a photo to "be very careful. That photo might cost you quite a bit."

Sifuna Warns Ethekon

Despite the humour, Sifuna delivered a direct message to the IEBC chairman regarding the commission's responsibilities ahead of the 2027 general election.

He noted that Ethekon appeared visibly frustrated by questions posed to him during his own session at the event.

"I can assure him that the Bomas of Kenya will be a thousand times hotter," Sifuna said, signalling that public and stakeholder scrutiny of the commission will only intensify as the election draws closer.

He called on the IEBC to ensure it gets the procurement of technology and ballot papers right, insisting the process must involve all stakeholders at every stage.

e further specified that Kenya should source electoral technology from a reputable company and from a country that holds its firms accountable for their conduct abroad.

"The pressure, as they say, only increases from now on," he added.

Time for a Lawyer to Lead Kenya

Sifuna also used the LSK platform to make a broader political argument, telling the gathering of legal professionals that the moment had arrived for a lawyer to lead the country.

"It is time for lawyers to be in charge of the country," he said, framing the remark within the conference's sub-theme and tying it to the broader conversation around electoral justice as Kenya heads towards 2027.

The senator acknowledged that he himself carries considerable public expectations as a political figure, but argued that Ethekon and the IEBC bear an even heavier burden, given their constitutional obligation to deliver a free, fair, and verifiable election.

Source: TUKO.co.ke

Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.