The late Wafula Chebukati, former chair of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), was laid to rest at his home in Trans Nzoia County on Saturday, March 8th. The burial was attended by top politicians, led by President William Ruto, and was marked by tributes, prayers, and emotional farewells.

Footage from the event showed Chebukati's casket being chauffeured to his final resting place within his expansive compound. His wife, Mary Wanyonyi, was visibly emotional as she bid farewell to her husband. The burial was conducted with tight security, including plainclothes officers from the presidential unit, ensuring a smooth and orderly ceremony.

The procession to the gravesite was led by preachers and Chebukati's father in a wheelchair, followed by his sons and other family members carrying the casket. A gate and fence were erected around the burial site to restrict unauthorized access. President Ruto and Mary Wanyonyi were seated in a tent close to the grave, where the coffin, draped in a white cloth, was placed on a mechanism to lower it.

Clerics offered prayers for Chebukati's soul and recited Revelation 21:4, offering solace and hope. Pallbearers then lowered the body as a choir sang a hymn. The widow and her family were summoned to throw soil into the grave, a moment filled with deep emotion. President Ruto and other leaders followed suit, after which wreaths were laid on the grave.

Several speakers addressed the mourners, with recurring themes of criticism Chebukati faced and his forgiving nature. Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka condemned those speaking ill of the deceased, invoking a local tradition that warns of dire consequences for such behavior. He recounted instances where Chebukati had punished him for violating electoral regulations, showcasing the late chair's firmness and impartiality.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula praised Chebukati's forgiving nature, recalling an incident during the announcement of the 2022 election results when Chebukati was assaulted at the Bomas of Kenya. Wetangula, a lawyer and distant relative of the deceased, revealed that two former senators had attacked Chebukati, and two other commissioners were also attacked during the melee, but Chebukati refused to sue the perpetrators, stating that he would leave it to God.

Chebukati's daughter, Rachel, corroborated Wetangula's account, adding that there were intelligence reports of a possible assassination plot against her father to prevent him from announcing the election results. She recalled the tense moments and the family's reliance on prayer for his safety. She shared how her father returned home bleeding after announcing the results and being attacked.

Mary Wanyonyi, Chebukati's widow, spoke of the numerous attacks the family faced on social media, including false reports of her husband's death. She noted that Chebukati had always urged them to ignore the negativity.

Chebukati's children remembered him as a man of integrity and honesty. His sons, Emmanuel and Jonathan, recalled their family golf traditions, while his daughter, Rachel Nekesa, spoke of his encouragement and the winning spirit he instilled in them. Chebukati died in February after battling a brain tumor.