The ongoing spotlight on past election intrigues in the country has led to former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioners sharing their experiences at the electoral agency.

Several commissioners, who held key positions within the commission, faced the harsh consequences of elections, with political contenders pointing fingers at them for their electoral losses.


During a recent interview with Jeff Koinange on JKLLive, former IEBC Chairperson Issack Hassan disclosed his personal inclination towards declaring Raila Odinga, the presidential candidate for the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance, as the president-elect in the 2013 general elections.



Hassan expressed his deep admiration for Raila Odinga and his desire to see him become the President of Kenya. Unfortunately, the election outcome did not align with his hopes and expectations.

When questioned about his sentiments, Hassan explained that he held a great deal of respect for the opposition leader, acknowledging the instrumental role Odinga played in Hassan's own appointment as the head of the IEBC.

Hassan further emphasized that, in his opinion, Kenyans would have greatly benefited from experiencing Odinga's leadership as the President of the country.


"If anyone I have respect and gratitude to, is him. I really would have wished for him to win the elections to become our president because we needed to test his presidency."


During the 2013 elections, Hassan faced a challenging task of announcing the results. He acknowledged that it was a difficult period for him, but he fulfilled his duty by declaring the results based on the will of the people. Despite any personal preferences or desires, Hassan prioritized the importance of respecting and upholding the democratic process, ensuring that the outcome reflected the voice of the electorate.


"As the chairman of the electoral commission, I only announced the will of the people, the results of the elections. That for me was a very difficult time but what can you do? That is the game, the name of the game so it was never personal," he reiterated.