The chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Erastus Edung Ethekon, on Thursday, February 5, 2026, announced the appointment of Moses Ledama Sunkuli as the acting CEO. Sunkuli was picked as interim CEO and Secretary following the unceremonious exit of Marjan Hussein Marjan on Tuesday, February 3. However, the choice of the commission caught many by surprise after bypassing Marjan’s two deputies, Ruth Kulundu and Obadiah Keitany. Who are these poll officials, and what are their qualifications?
Ruth Kulundu is the Deputy Commission Secretary (DCS) responsible for operations. She is effectively the Deputy CEO responsible for the commission’s operational activities. Appointed in March 2022, Ruth Kulundu has been serving under outgoing CEO Hussein Marjan. She was part of the team that oversaw the August 2022 presidential elections.
But her tenure has not been without drama. Following the disputed 2022 election, Ruth Kulundu was interdicted by CEO Marjan on grounds of “gross misconduct”, which the Commission noted included insubordination.
After a court battle, the Employment and Labour Relations (ELRC) declared her interdiction unlawful in 2023 and barred the IEBC from taking further disciplinary action against her on the grounds listed.
Ruth Kulundu’s Professional Qualifications
Ruth Khatievi Kulundu holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in strategic management from the University of Nairobi (UoN).
She also holds a Bachelor of Commerce (B. Com) from the University of Nairobi (UoN) and is an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute of London (ACII) and Kenya (AIIK)
Ruth is also an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Kenya Chapter.
Also Read: IEBC CEO Marjan Hussein Resigns
The Deputy Commission Secretary is an Election Expert with 12 years of experience and previously worked with the IEBC Regional Elections Coordinator from 2010 to 2017.
After the Regional Election Coordinator role, she later served as a County Elections Manager (CEM).
Obadiah Keitany
Obadiah Keitany is a senior Kenyan public official currently serving as the Deputy Commission Secretary (DCS) for Support Services at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
He often represents the Commission’s secretariat in high-level engagements, including appearing before Parliamentary committees to discuss electoral preparedness and budgetary needs for the 2027 General Election.
Keitany has been a prominent voice in highlighting the IEBC’s financial requirements, recently stating that the Commission needs approximately KSh 61 billion to conduct the 2027 elections and requires urgent funding to replace thousands of outdated biometric voter identification (KIEMS) kits.
Obadiah Keitany’s Professional Qualifications
Keitany holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Nairobi (UoN) and a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) in Insurance from the University of Nairobi (UoN).
Also Read: How IEBC Will Rename Constituencies After 2027 General Election
Obadiah is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA-K) and a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA).
In addition, the Deputy Commission Secretary is a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and a Certified Public Secretary (CPS-K).
The Support Services secretary holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Corporate Governance.
In professional membership and associations, he is a member of ICPAK in good standing.
Keitany is also a member of the Information Systems Audit & Control Association, a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors, and a member of the Institute of Certified Secretaries of Kenya
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