President William Ruto has nominated Erastus Edung Ethekon as the new chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
The Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei in a statement on Thursday, May 8 said that President Ruto nominated Edung as the new IEBC Chairperson while also naming six other Kenyans who have been nominated to serve as members of the commission.
The nominated members include Ann Njeri Nderitu, Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor Hassan, Francis Odhiambo Aduol and Fahima Araphat Abdallah.
Further, Koskei said that the nominations have been transmitted to the National Assembly for consideration and approval by Parliament, in accordance with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act as well as the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act (Chapter 7F, Laws of Kenya).
“In its submission, the Selection Panel recommended two candidates for the position of Chairperson and nine candidates for consideration to fill six positions of Member of the Commission. Arising from these recommendations, the Head of State has nominated the following individuals for appointment as stated,” read part of the statement.
“In recognition of the indispensable role of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) as one of the cornerstone institutions of our democracy and a custodian of electoral management, His Excellency the President has urged the National Assembly to prioritize the consideration of these nominations.”
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Ruto receives report
While receiving the report on Wednesday, President Ruto commended the panel, chaired by Dr Nelson Makanda, for their commendable work.
The President while emphasising the importance of restoring the full functionality of the IEBC without delay affirmed that he would undertake his constitutional responsibilities by nominating the selected candidates and forwarding their names to the National Assembly for consideration.
“I commend the panel, chaired by Dr Nelson Makanda, for their diligent and commendable work. In accordance with the provisions of the IEBC Act, I will nominate and transmit the names to the National Assembly in full fidelity to the constitutional principles that guide our system of governance,” he said.
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The IEBC Selection Panel, in March, published the names of candidates shortlisted for the vacant positions of IEBC chairperson and members.
Out of 37 applicants for the IEBC Chairperson role, 11 candidates were shortlisted.
Among them were Erastus Edung, former Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Anne Atieno Amadi and former East Africa Court of Justice (EACJ) judge Charles Ayako Nyachae.
Separately, the Nelson Makanda-led panel shortlisted 105 candidates from a pool of 1,319 applicants for the IEBC members positions.
IEBC leadership
The commission has operated without a fully constituted leadership since January 17, 2023, when the term of its previous chairperson, the late Wafula Chebukati, expired.
Chebukati’s tenure, which began in 2017 under former President Uhuru Kenyatta, was marked by controversy, especially during the 2017 and 2022 general elections.
The Supreme Court annulled the 2017 presidential election results due to irregularities, prompting a rerun that former Prime Minister Raila Odinga boycotted.
In 2022, Odinga, who narrowly lost to President Ruto, alleged electoral fraud—a claim that gained traction after four of the seven IEBC commissioners disowned the final results, citing a lack of transparency in the tallying process.
Chebukati stood by the outcome, which was upheld by the Supreme Court, but the episode significantly eroded public trust in the electoral body.
In response to these events, the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report released in November 2023 called for the restructuring and reconstitution of the IEBC.
It recommended appointing a panel of experts to review the 2022 electoral process and develop mechanisms to improve future elections.
The formation of the IEBC Selection Panel followed this recommendation, and after completing its recruitment process, the panel submitted its report to President Ruto on Tuesday.
Ruto’s nomination of a new IEBC chairperson and members marks a crucial step in reconstituting the electoral agency, paving the way for by-elections and preparations for the 2027 general election.
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