The selection process for new Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials kicks off today as Kenya gears up for a new election cycle.
The IEBC selection panel will conduct the interviews at the Edge Convention Centre, located within the College of Insurance in Nairobi. The recruitment aims to fill key positions left vacant following the departure of the late former IEBC chair Wafula Chebukati’s team.
The process will unfold in two phases. Candidates for the chairperson role will face the panel between March 24 and March 26, followed by the commissioner selection process, which will run from March 26 to April 24.
High-Profile Candidates Face the Panel
Among the candidates set to appear before the interview panel today are former East African Court judge Charles Nyachae, former Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Anne Amadi, Abdulqadir Lorot H. Ramadhan, and Edward Katama Ngeywa. Their interviews are scheduled to take place between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
On Tuesday, the Nelson Makanda-led panel will assess another group of candidates, including Erastus Edung Ethekon, Francis Kakai Kissinger, former Nairobi County Assembly Clerk Jacob Ngwele Muvengei, and Kenya Power board chair Joy Brenda Masinde-Mdivo.
The final round of interviews, set for March 26, will see Lillian Wanjiku Manegene, Robert Akumu Asembo, and Saul Simiyu Wasilwa face the selection panel.
Throughout the vetting process, candidates will be evaluated based on their experience, integrity, and strategic vision for strengthening Kenya’s electoral framework.
Integrity and Public Scrutiny
All shortlisted candidates must present valid clearance certificates from regulatory bodies, including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Higher Education Loans Board, the Kenya Revenue Authority, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, the Commission for University Education (for those with foreign degrees), and a registered Credit Reference Bureau.
However, the selection panel faces mounting scrutiny as key developments threaten to influence the process. One major challenge is a petition filed by the Kenya Youth Organisation, which questions Charles Nyachae’s suitability for the IEBC chair position.
Ahead of the oral interviews, the organisation submitted a memorandum objecting to Nyachae’s candidacy. The petitioners argue that his background and qualifications do not align with the ethical and moral standards outlined in Chapter Six of the 2010 Constitution, which governs leadership and integrity in public office.
The group also raised concerns about what it perceives as a lack of transparency in Nyachae’s past actions and professional conduct. They question whether his professional history meets the high ethical standards required for the role, raising doubts about his ability to serve impartially and without bias.
As a result, the organisation has urged the selection panel to consider public concerns to ensure that the next IEBC chair is widely seen as credible and trustworthy.
Adding to the complexity of the process is the recent appointment of IEBC selection panel vice chairperson Linda Kiome as Meru’s Deputy Governor.
