The family of the late former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati has expressed gratitude to Kenyans who supported them during the death and burial of their kin.
In a statement on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, Chebukati’s wife (Mary Chebukati) and his three children (Emmanuel, Jonathan, and Rachel) observed that the kindness and generosity of Kenyans during the funeral had brought them comfort.
“We, the family of the late Wanyonyi Wafula Chebukati, extend our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for your overwhelming support during this challenging time,” Chebukati’s family said.
Welcomes kindness
The family also appreciated the financial support extended to them during their difficult moment.
“Your generosity, both in kind and financially, has been a beacon of light, and your outpouring of love, kindness and prayers has brought us comfort.”
The family equally thanked those who had graced them with presence during the funeral period leading up to his burial at his home.
“Your unwavering presence has been our strength from the moment our beloved Hero, Wanyonyi, transitioned to heaven on 20th February 2025, till we laid him to rest with a send-off befitting of a legend, at his Sabata farm on 8th March 2025,” the statement read.
“May God richly bless you and your families, and may His peace always surround you. Asanteni sana.”
In and out of surgery
Chebukati died of cardiac arrest on February 20, 2025, after battling brain cancer for more than two years, according to the family spokesperson Eric Nyongesa.
The former IEBC chairperson had been diagnosed with the fatal illness just months after exiting the commission in 2023.
While Chebukati’s tumour was successfully removed surgically in Germany, he would later be scheduled for another surgery shortly thereafter.
Chebukati would later be admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where he suffered a cardiac arrest and died on February 20, 2025.
The deceased wife Mary, his two sons, and a daughter eulogized him as a hands-on and loving father. Emmanuel Chebukati, who runs a company in Rwanda, wrote a moving tribute describing the significant role he played in pulling their family together despite having a busy schedule.
He recalled how he used to take them on vacations during Christmas and kept them together through various activities, such as golf.
“But through my eyes and the eyes of the family members seated here, you will see him as simply the best father, husband, and brother you’ll ever have. It is said that if you think Chebukati is tough and doesn’t smile, then you don’t know Chebukati,” Emmanuel said.
Chebukati oversaw two elections in 2017 and 2022 before his term expired in 2023.
