Juliana Cherera, the Vice-Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), became a butt of the joke on Tuesday, August 16, after dropping a misleading figure while poking holes into the tallying process of the presidential results.
Cherera was among four commissioners who disowned the presidential results announced by IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati at Bomas of Kenya on Monday.
She was flanked by commissioners Francis Wanderi, Irene Masit and Justus Nyangaya.
Yesterday, she led the team to explain why they rejected the results, citing a 0.01 per cent ‘error’ in Chebukati’s calculations.
“Take notice that Mr Chebukati’s aggregation was as follows: Raila Odinga, 48.85 per cent; William Ruto, 50.49 per cent; Waihiga Mwaure, 0.27 per cent; Wajackoyah George, 0.44 per cent.”
“This summation gives us a total of 100.01 per cent. The 0.01 per cent translates to approximately 142,000 votes, which will make a significant difference in the final result,” she said.
While she hoped to help the nation understand her team’s concerns about the results, she became a subject of ridicule due to the fact that 0.01 per cent of the 14 million votes cast does not translate to hundreds of thousands of votes but a measly 1,400 votes.
Well, the raging debate about the ‘mazematics’ continues on social media even as the aggrieved Azimio One Kenya coalition threatens to sue IEBC and Chebukati for allegedly bungling the election.
The Raila-led coalition is banking on the divisions within the commission and the alleged failure by Chebukati to involve the commissioners in the final tallying of the votes, to have Ruto’s election nullified by the Supreme Court.
But who is Cherera?
Cherera joined the electoral body in September 2021 following an appointment by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
She was among 36 candidates shortlisted for the position of the commissioner and subsequently vetted by IEBC’s seven-member selection panel.
Worked at Mombasa County Government
Prior to joining IEBC and her subsequent election to deputise Chebukati, Cherera served as Chief Officer in the office of the Governor in Mombasa County.
She also served as a secretary for the Mombasa County Economic Recovery and Legacy Strategy and was part of the county Emergency Household Relief and Nutrition Support Project Coordination Committee.
Working closely with other partners, she steered and coordinated the Governor’s food distribution program under the umbrella ‘Together for Mombasa’.
Primary school teacher
Cherera began her career as a primary school teacher specializing in Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE).
Currently, she boasts of over 18 years of working experience in Education and Management sectors.
Notably, she holds a Master’s degree in Education, Leadership and Educational Management from Kenya Methodist University.
Net worth
While being interviewed for the position of commissioner last year, Cherera disclosed that she was worth Ksh16.6 million.
She owns 11 acres of land in Kwale county, a two-acre tea farm in Meru South, 1.5 acres of land in Kilifi, and a one-acre land in Mackinnon Market in Mombasa.
Other assets she owns include a Ksh3 million family home located in Mtwapa and thousands of shares in local companies.
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