The National Assembly has approved the nomination of seven persons for appointment as Chairperson and Commissioners of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

This follows the tabling of a report by the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs (JLAC), chaired by Tharaka MP Hon. George Murugara. The Committee conducted the vetting exercise on Saturday, 31st May 2025.

The seven approved nominees are Mr. Erastus Edung Ethekon (Chairperson), Ms. Ann Njeri Nderitu, Mr. Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, Ms. Mary Karen Sorobit, Mr. Hassan Noor Hassan, Prof. Francis Odhiambo Aduol and Ms. Fahima Araphat Abdallah.

The reconstitution of the IEBC comes at a critical time, following a prolonged vacancy that had hindered key electoral processes such as the delimitation of boundaries, by-elections in over 20 seats across the National Assembly, Senate, and County Assemblies, and preparations for the 2027 General Election.

“The country has been without an operational IEBC for far too long. This has caused significant uncertainty. Reconstituting the Commission was an urgent national priority,” said Committee Chair Hon. Murugara.

In its report, JLAC confirmed that the nominations complied with constitutional requirements on gender, regional, and ethnic diversity. Of the seven, four are men and three are women, representing various regions and communities.

The vetting process evaluated each nominee’s academic and professional qualifications, integrity, and suitability for office with the Committee finding that all seven nominees met the constitutional and legal thresholds and were capable of restoring public confidence in the IEBC.

The highly coveted positions had seen an IEBC Selection Panel, chaired by Rev. Dr. Nelson Makanda, shortlist the nominees from a pool of 1,848 applicants. The exercise which was conducted in a span of over three months saw interviews concluded on 25th April 2025, and there after names were forwarded to the President for consideration.

Although the process faced legal challenges, the High Court lifted a suspension on the vetting, allowing the parliamentary process to continue. Ten public memoranda were submitted, with six being in support while four raising objections citing political affiliations, diversity concerns, and procedural issues.

Rarieda MP and JLAC Committee Member, Hon. Otiende Amollo stated, “We posed every question raised in the objections to the nominees and were satisfied that the concerns were either unsubstantiated or adequately addressed.”

Mombasa County MP, Hon. Zamzam Mohamed praised the Committee's work, noting the appointments reflected inclusivity and diversity. “After months of national uncertainty, Kenyans now have hope through the reconstitution of this crucial body.”

Leader of Majority Party, Hon Kimani Ichung’wah noted, “In two years, we will have a general election. We must therefore work within the given timelines to ensure that this commission has all the time to put in place necessary measures to ensure the 2027 elections will be beyond reproach.”