IEBC hopeful Ngwele: I was tested under political pressure but stood by law

Former Nairobi County Assembly Clerk Jacob Ngwele has recounted a critical moment in his career when he was forced to stand firm under intense political pressure.

While appearing before the selection panel for the position of IEBC chairperson, Ngwele detailed an incident that tested his leadership and commitment to the law during the swearing-in of Nairobi County Assembly members in 2017.

Ngwele explained that as the clerk, he was responsible for overseeing the process, including conducting the election of the speaker as required by law.

However, just before the swearing-in ceremony, he received a call summoning him to the governor’s office.

Upon arrival, he was met by influential political leaders, including members of Parliament and the Senate, who pressured him to halt the ceremony due to concerns over the list of nominated members.

“One of the leaders looked at me and told me, ‘Kindly, use wisdom,’” Ngwele recalled during the interview.

He said he was urged to delay the process, but he refused, explaining that the swearing-in had already been gazetted and could only be stopped by a court order.

Despite claims that such an order existed, he insisted on seeing proof before taking any action.

To verify the claims, Ngwele instructed a legal counsel to confirm whether a court order had been issued.

“After an hour, she told me they hadn’t even gone anywhere. So there was actually no court order,” he stated.

Realizing the delay was politically motivated, he proceeded with the ceremony as planned, swearing in 124 MCAs and conducting the election of the speaker.

When he later faced the same political figures who had tried to stop the process, they acknowledged his firm stance.

“They told me, ‘You are a lawyer,’” Ngwele recounted.

Reflecting on the experience, he said it reinforced his belief in upholding the law, conflict resolution, and political management.

He emphasized that his ability to remain neutral and handle intense political situations had shaped his leadership and fueled his ambition to become the next IEBC chairperson.

Ngwele, who was the inaugural Nairobi County Assembly Clerk, played a key role in establishing the institution from scratch in 2013.

Now, at 47, he is vying for the IEBC chairperson position alongside other notable candidates, including former Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution chairperson Charles Nyachae, former Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Anne Amadi, Kenya Power chairperson Joy Mdivo, and lawyer Robert Asembo.