The 2013 General Elections were first under the 2010 constitution.

It was the first time the country was electing senators, woman reps, governors and a deputy president.

The positions were created in the new constitution to enhance representation and bring development closer to the people.

For starters, it was equally the first time the country was experiencing an Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) overseeing the elections.

For former IEBC chairperson Ahmed Issack Hassan, the first chairman of the IEBC, the task at hand was daunting and challenging in equal measure.

In his book titled Referee of a Dirty Ugly Game, Hassan recounts the highs and lows of being at the helm, of Kenya's first electoral commission under the 2010 constitution.

It is here that he reveals his encounter with President William Ruto, then a presidential running mate of Uhuru Kenyatta.

Kenyans had cast their votes and the tallying exercise was ongoing for the presidential election when Hassan received a phone call from Ruto.

" Chairman, you know we actually have the results with us," Ruto told Hassan. 

" We know we are leading by a million votes," he added. 

" Oh! Is that so? "  Hassan asked. 

" Yes, of course," Ruto responded confidently. 

" We know our tallies and even Chirchir has the records on his computer," Ruto responded. 

" So you are saying Jubilee is leading by a million votes? " Hassan asked. 

" If you are very certain of what you are saying, then just tell Chirchir to be quiet and let the commission do its job. If what you are claiming is true, you should not be worried because it will not change," Hassan told Ruto. 

On this day,  the commission had announced the presidential election results from a few constituencies. 

The agents were to assess the copies of the verified results. 

They were to countercheck the verified results against those announced by the returning officer before the commission made the final announcement. 

But there were delays from the agents in assessing the verified results. 

On checking what the problem was, the Commission found that not only were the chief agents on a retaliatory go-slow, but they had also become a law unto themselves. 

"They had given themselves the power to approve and object to the results. One of the agents included a hand-drawn additional column in the form we had issues for verification," Hassan recalled.

Back at the tallying centre, Hassan recounts another dramatic encounter with Davis Chirchir.

He was an agent of the URP party which belonged to Ruto who was the running mate of Uhuru.

Hassan said Chirchir and the Jubilee party Chief agents had decided to make adjustments to the forms the commission had given them to verify. 

He said Chirchir wrote the words "I object to these results because of the 50 per cent plus one rule misinterpretation by the commission" before signing against it. 

It was this form that they now wanted to give the Commission to announce. 

On seeing what Chirchir had done, the rest of the party agents gained confidence and quickly followed suit. 

"They believed Chirchir was right in making the adjustment to the form as he was a former IIEC commissioner," Hassan said. 

The commissioners then took the forms from the party agents and informed them that such behaviour would not be condoned as what they were doing was not guided by any law. 

At this point, Chirchir took a step back and toned down.