The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has shortlisted five candidates, including acting Chief Executive Officer Evaleen Mitei, for interviews to fill the substantive Secretary and CEO position.
The selection panel will interview the applicants on Monday, November 16, 2026, at the commission’s headquarters in Upper Hill, Nairobi.
Among those selected are Cheptumo Ayabei of Baringo County, Robert Odette of Migori, Lawrence Ngai Kaburu of Tharaka-Nithi, and Farah Abdi Saman of Mandera County.
According to TSC, Ayabei will appear before the panel at 9am, followed by Mitei at 10am. Odette is expected at 11am, Kaburu at noon, while Saman will attend the final session at 1pm.
The interviews mark the next stage of a recruitment exercise reopened on September 29, after the High Court ordered the commission to repeat the process over procedural violations in the initial selection.
Why TSC Was Forced to Restart CEO Recruitment
The earlier recruitment exercise began on May 6, 2025, but was challenged in court over the way the commission advertised the vacancy.
Also Read: TSC Announces CEO Vacancy With Ksh698,600 Salary and Hefty Benefits: How to Apply
In a judgment delivered on September 17, 2026, Kiambu High Court judges Dorah Chepkwony and Francis Nyungu found that the commission had breached its recruitment guidelines by giving applicants 13 days to submit their applications instead of the required minimum of 14 days.
The court also faulted TSC for omitting the proposed salary and benefits for the position from the original advertisement. The judges consequently nullified the entire recruitment exercise and ordered a fresh process.
However, the court upheld the statutory qualifications under Section 16(2)(b) and (c) of the TSC Act, including the requirement for an education degree and at least 10 years of relevant professional experience, five of which must be in senior management.
The commission received 124 applications when the new advertisement closed on October 30, 2026.
Documents Candidates Must Present During Interviews
TSC has directed the five shortlisted applicants to attend their interviews with original identification documents, academic certificates, professional qualifications and academic transcripts.
They must also present valid clearance certificates from the Kenya Revenue Authority, Higher Education Loans Board, a registered Credit Reference Bureau and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
Candidates who obtained their university qualifications outside Kenya must provide recognition letters issued by the Commission for University Education.
Additional documents include evidence of online self-declaration or a self-declaration form stamped by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, recommendations from relevant professional organizations where applicable, and other supporting testimonials.
The commission has instructed candidates to arrive at the interview venue at least 30 minutes before their scheduled sessions.
Also Read: IEBC Shortlists 9 Candidates for CEO Position
TSC Opens Public Submissions on Shortlisted Candidates
Members of the public have also been given an opportunity to raise concerns or provide information about the suitability of any of the five applicants.
TSC has invited interested parties to submit credible information through sworn affidavits addressed to the commission chairperson, Jamleck Muturi.
The submissions can be delivered to the commission’s headquarters on the third floor or sent to [email protected]. The deadline is November 13.
Muturi said the commission could invite members of the public who submit information to appear before it, adding that it would treat such submissions confidentially.
He also described TSC as an equal opportunity employer committed to merit-based recruitment through a fair and competitive process.
Mitei Has Served as Acting TSC CEO Since June 2025
Evaleen Mitei took over the leadership of the Teachers Service Commission in an acting capacity on June 1, 2025, following the commencement of terminal leave by her predecessor, Dr Nancy Macharia.
Macharia announced her departure in an internal communication to commission staff, indicating that she would proceed on terminal leave ahead of her scheduled retirement on June 30, 2025.
In the memo, she informed staff that Mitei had been appointed to serve as the commission’s Secretary and CEO in an acting capacity while the commission continued recruiting her successor.
Macharia also asked TSC employees to support Mitei as she assumed the responsibilities of the office.
Her departure brought to a close her tenure at the commission, where she had served in different capacities before reaching the retirement age.
The transition came as the recruitment of a new substantive CEO faced a legal challenge. The Employment and Labour Relations Court in Mombasa issued interim orders suspending the recruitment exercise following a petition filed by Mombasa resident Thomas Mosomi Oyugi.
The petitioner argued that the recruitment process was unlawful, claiming it included unconstitutional and discriminatory requirements. As a result of the challenge, the court temporarily stopped the recruitment pending the hearing and determination of the case.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates and subscribe to our YouTube Channel for in-depth interviews.
