From the ballot to the battle: Wafula Chebukati’s final 20 months

The longest-serving IEBC chairman, who oversaw the most controversial election in Kenya's history, had ferociously battled his illness before finally meeting his death on February 21, aged 63.

His family, during a memorial held at CITAM Karen, intimated that Chebukati lost his life to brain cancer, a disease he warred for 20 months.

Rachel Chebukati, his only daughter, said that doctors had given the chairman a 4 to 6-month lifeline.

"...but I remember him saying this sickness is not going to beat me, I'm going to fight it and he did," she said.

After the diagnosis in April 2023, Chebukati set up a home gym and religiously did his morning and evening workouts, maintained a healthy diet and dutifully took his medicine until an attack, one of many, happened around October.

"The doctor said because it's recurred but its not big enough to be removed so he decided to continue with his life," Rachel said.

All this time he had planned his itinerary to attend international conferences, which started in Portugal after a brain surgery, adding that the family had agreed to take turns in accompanying him in each travel.

"I just saw him very tired and at that point that's when I started to realise the chemotherapy is taking a toll on him and I didn't realise it but despite that, no one could tell," Rachel added.

She admired her father's grit as he fought the illness while trying to remain active and present in his responsibilities 

"His positivity, drive and confidence is what pushes me to continue doing better and live up to the expectations I have set for myself," she added.

Mr. Chebukati had another surgery in April 2024 and suffered more attacks in December 2024 until his last admission in February 2025. 

"I think this was his third or fourth time in ICU," she said.

His wife, Mary Chebukati, added that before being admitted on February 12, he was in and out of hospital for almost two months and the family had even set up a fully equipped ward at their home.

Two days after being admitted, doctors reported that his lungs had fluid and he had a cardiac arrest, the last attack he battled.

"I had been there earlier and I could see them trying to resuscitate him. I left the room to go and pray and I asked God to give us one more chance and he came back on. On that day he had four more cardiac arrests," she said.

Four days later she said she received a gut-wrenching call notifying her of Chebukati's unfortunate demise.

"I was surprised to get a call at 11:30pm to be told he had cardiac arrest and now he is dead. I asked them is that how you announce his death to me? they said yeah he has died so you need to come in."

Mary intimated that Chebukati maintained a keenness to protect his family from public scrutiny that came with his prominence.

"You encouraged my presence but never exposed me to the chaos and scrutiny that came with public life. I learnt how to blend into the crowd, to be there without drawing attention," she said.

Rachel added that Chebukati "was the best father a daughter could ever ask for". 

A divided legacy

As a man who had practised law for over three decades, the 2022 presidential election will remain the most important for Chebukati’s career, whose outcome thrust William Ruto to the Presidency.

In Ruto’s eyes, Chebukati was the hero of that election, but to the Raila Odinga-led opposition, he may well be the worst thing that ever happened to Odinga’s political career.

On January 17, 2023, when Chebukati stood before President Ruto to announce the completion of his six-year term, his words carried a deeper meaning. It was more than just a statement; it reflected a man who had overcome numerous obstacles.

After leaving office, Chebukati spent months presenting conference papers, addressing symposia and seminars globally, and calling for the independence of electoral bodies in the wake of charged political contests and unrelenting state interferences in the outcomes of democratic processes.