NAIROBI, Kenya – Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioner Dr. Roselyn Akombe has stirred painful memories of Kenya’s 2017 general election season with an emotional online tribute to her late colleague, Chris Msando.
In a brief but powerful message posted on social media, Akombe remembered Msando as a courageous and principled officer who paid the ultimate price for standing up for electoral integrity.
“Eight years ago, they strangled you for merely doing your work,” Akombe wrote. “You had openly stated that under your watch, elections would not be rigged. They silenced you forever. But justice will be served one day.”
She ended her post with a tribute to Msando’s legacy:
“Your legacy in the fight for electoral justice remains etched in our memories. Rest in power, Shujaa. #ChrisMsando”
Eight years ago, they strangled you for merely doing your work.You had openly stated that under your watch, elections would not be rigged.They silenced you forever. But justice will be served one day.Your legacy in the fight for electoral justice remains etched in our
Chris Msando was the IEBC’s acting ICT director at the time of his murder in late July 2017—just days before Kenyans went to the polls.
He had been responsible for overseeing the deployment of Kenya’s computerized voting and results transmission system, a critical part of the country’s electoral infrastructure.
His disappearance and subsequent murder shocked the nation and sparked widespread concern about the integrity and safety of electoral officials.
An autopsy revealed he had been brutally tortured before being strangled. Government pathologist Dr. Johansen Oduor reported deep scratches and cuts on his back and arms, indicating a struggle.
Msando’s body was found in a thicket in Kiambu County next to that of a woman. His car had been abandoned in the Roysambu area of Nairobi.
To date, no one has been held accountable for the killing.
Akombe, who fled the country shortly after Msando’s death and later resigned from the commission, has remained a vocal critic of Kenya’s electoral process and an advocate for justice in Msando’s case.
Her latest post comes on the eighth anniversary of his death, renewing public calls for accountability and transparency.
Though years have passed, Msando’s murder remains a painful and unresolved chapter in Kenya’s democratic journey.
Akombe’s message, raw and resolute, echoes the sentiments of many Kenyans still seeking closure—and justice.
