The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Commission Secretary of Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Marjan Hussein Marjan, has resigned from his position.
Marjan resigned on February 3, 2026, bringing to an end a long tenure at the electoral body.
In a statement issued on Tuesday evening, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon confirmed that the CEO has exited the Commission following a “mutually agreed structured transition” to end his engagement.
According to the statement, the departure formally concludes Marjan’s term at the electoral body and sets in motion the process of identifying his successor.
“This brings to an end his tenure at the IEBC and marks the start of the process to recruit a new CEO and Secretary to the Commission. The IEBC will announce an interim replacement who will serve as Acting CEO/Secretary in due course.”
IEBC announces resignation of CEO Marjan Hussein
Ethekon noted that the leadership change is intended to ensure stability and continuity as the Commission carries out its constitutional responsibilities, including the management of elections and electoral boundaries. He further linked the changes at the Secretariat to broader institutional reforms.
“The changes within the Secretariat are part of critical reforms aimed at strengthening institutional preparedness, internal accountability, and results-oriented systems. The Secretariat is central to delivering credible, free, and fair elections, and these reforms will enhance its effectiveness, efficiency, transparency, and service delivery to the people of Kenya,” he said.
The Chairperson also acknowledged Marjan’s service since his appointment in March 2022, highlighting his stewardship during a prolonged period when the Commission operated without a fully constituted team of commissioners until July 2025.
Hussein was officially appointed CEO on March 9, 2022, after emerging as the top candidate from a shortlist of five.
Before his confirmation, he had served in an acting capacity for nearly five years, following the exit of former CEO Ezra Chiloba in 2017.
When Marjan officially took the reins of the commission just months before the August 2022 General Election, he vowed to be a stalwart proponent of having credible elections owing to what he termed as a trusted team of commissioners led by then IEBC Chairperson the late Wafula Chebukati.
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The outgoing CEO joined IEBC in March 2015 as Deputy Commission Secretary in charge of Support Services, a role he held until he was appointed substantive CEO.
Before joining the commission, he spent over two decades at Telkom Kenya, where he served as Head of Internal Audit, Investigation, and Quality.
An accountant and strategic management professional, Hussein holds an MBA in Strategic Management and a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) from the University of Nairobi. He is certified as CPA-K, CISA, CIA, CCSA, and CQA.
Marjan Hussein’s awards and tenure as IEBC CEO
During his career, he received national honours including the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (MBS) and the Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (CBS), as well as the ICPAK Award of Commendation (2025).
He also served on a technical committee developing AI guidelines for election management in Africa. Hussein headed the IEBC Secretariat which according to the IEBC Act is mandated with executing decisions of the Commission and supervises all employees of the Commission.
According to Section 10 (7) of the Act, the CEO is also mandated with facilitating and ensuring the execution of the Commission’s mandate, ensuring staff compliance with public ethics, and undertaking any duties as may be assigned by the law and Commission.
With no Commission in the electoral body, IEBC CEOs can only undertake specific tasks and cannot oversee the electoral body’s most critical task of conducting and regulating electoral processes.
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The Act dictates that the Commission is responsible for registering voters, delimiting constituencies and wards in accordance with the Constitution, regulating and settling electoral disputes, and conducting voter education.
Marjan was to hold office until this year but was eligible for re-appointment for one further term. His resignation comes after the full reconstitution of IEBC, following the appointment of a new chairperson and six commissioners who were sworn in on July 11, 2025.
The reconstituted Commission is chaired by Erastus Edung Ethekon. Fahima Araphat Abdallah serves as the Vice Chairperson, alongside commissioners Ann Njeri Nderitu, Dr. Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor Hassan, and Prof. Francis Odhiambo Aduol.
Marjan’s departure also comes amid sustained pressure from opposition leaders who had called for his removal in the run-up to the next General Election.
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka was among the most vocal critics, accusing the IEBC CEO of irregularly extending the contract of Smartmatic, the firm that supplied electoral technology for the 2022 polls.
Kalonzo argued that the manner in which the contract was renewed raised serious concerns about transparency and accountability within the electoral body.
He further cautioned that the credibility of future elections could be compromised should Marjan have remained at the helm of the Commission’s Secretariat, warning that the next General Election risked falling short of the constitutional standards of a free and fair process.
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