President William Ruto has pledged to upgrade a school in Kiminini and rename it after the late former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chairperson Wafula Chebukati.
The President said the move will be in memory of the former IEBC chairperson.
He lauded Chebukati for his integrity and effort to deliver the 2022 general election in an honest and open way.
Speaking during his burial service at Chebukati's home in Sabatia, Kiminini Constituency, Ruto said he will construct 15 classrooms and an ICT centre at the school.
“I agree with your leader that the school that is near here, we will change the name and I will help to build 15 classrooms plus ICT centre because Chebukati used ICT to ensure the integrity of the elections in Kenya,” the President said.
“For the first time, we had an election that was open as it was because of technology. We shall build the school in respect of Chebukati, a Kenyan and a patriotic citizen.”
Chebukati, who completed his six-year tenure as IEBC chairman on January 17, 2023, died in Nairobi on February 21, 2025, while undergoing treatment. He was 63.
Family spokesman Eric Nyongesa said Chebukati was diagnosed with brain cancer, after which he underwent two surgeries during treatment.
He revealed that the former electoral boss suffered cardiac arrest while undergoing treatment at a Nairobi hospital before he passed on.
Nyongesa said Chebukati was battling brain cancer, an ailment discovered in April, 2023, a few months after he exited office.
He said he was flown to Germany, where he underwent a successful surgery to remove the tumor.
“Because of the stage in which the cancer was, the doctors recommended that he undergoes an immediate surgery, and the family having explored many options, he underwent a very successful operation,” Nyongesa said.
He would later spend some time in the country recovering until July of the same year, when he returned to the country, Nyongesa said.
During this period until early 2024, Chebukati engaged in various duties in foreign countries, where he gave speeches at different fora on technology and elections.
