Juliana Whonge Cherera made headlines on August 15, when she led three other commissioners to reject the outcome of the presidential elections conducted on August 9, 2022.
Cherera and the other commissioners identified as; Irene Cherop, Justus Abonyo and Francis Wanderi, announced their stand on the election results just at the time when IEBC chair Wafula Chebukati was also about to make the announcement that Kenyans had been waiting for anxiously for a number of days.
The above-mentioned commissioners were sworn into office on September 2, 2021 to replace Roslyne Akombe, Consolata Nkatha, Commissioners Margaret Mwachanya and Dr Paul Kibiwott who resigned after the 2017 general elections.
Before their swearing in ceremony, the four were nominated by president Uhuru Kenyatta from a list of 8 individuals that had been interviewed by a panel that was tasked with establishing the best suited individuals who who would fill the vacuum left by Akombe and her colleagues
Cherera stood out among the other three commissioners, firstly, because she deputizes Chebukati and secondly she was the one who read the statement, disowning the declaration of William Ruto as the president-elect.
Before landing a job at IEBC, she began as a teacher and has 18 years of experience in Education and Management. She has also worked as a lecturer.
She holds a Master of Education, Leadership and Educational Management from Kenya Methodist University (KEMU), a Bachelor of Education (Arts) from Kenyatta University where she specialized in Geography and Kiswahili and Project Management at Kenya Institute of Management (KIM),
Aside from that she took a course in Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) at KNEC, Strategic Leadership and Development Program at Kenya School of Government (KSG) as well as Senior Management Course (SMC) while still at KSG.
She later joined the Mombasa County government, under the leadership of governor Ali Hassan Joho, as a Chief Officer (CO) in the strategic unit where she was in charge of the Governor’s food distribution program and Secretary to the Mombasa County Economic Recovery and Legacy Strategy.
Cherera is believed to have been born and raised in Mombasa county and her net worth falls at 16.6 million which comprise 11 acres of land in Kwale, 1.5 acres in Kilifi, 2 acre- farm of tea in Meru and one-acre land in Mackinnon Market. Sherevealed the information while being interviewed for the commissioner job.
Aside from that she owns a Kshs3 million house in Mtwapa as well as Kshs2.4 million vehicle and 10,000 shares worth Kshs328, 000 at Mwalimu Sacco.
As an IEBC Commissioner, she earns a salary of not less than Kshs621, 250. She will serve in the capacity for 6 years from the time she was appointed.
She is a mother although details about her children and if she is married remain scanty.
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