President Ruto re-gazettes IEBC Chair Ethekon, six commissioners after court cites legal breach
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, a three-judge bench—comprising Justices Roselyne Aburili, John Chigiti, and Bahati Mwamuye—dismissed a petition filed by Kelvin Roy Omondi and activist Boniface Mwangi.
President Ruto has gazetted IEBC chair Erastus Ethekon, six others, paving way for their swearing-in.
The appointments, made official through a Gazette notice dated Thursday, July 10, come after the High Court ruled that President William Ruto acted unlawfully by gazetting and appointing the new chairperson and commissioners of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), despite the court having no issue with the nomination process itself.
A three-judge bench comprising Justices Bahati Mwamuye, John Chigiti, and Roselyne Aburili on Thursday evening declared that the President’s move violated conservatory orders issued by Justice Lawrence Mugambi, effectively rendering the appointments null and void.
The court emphasised that while the nominations remain valid, the officials cannot take office until the proper legal process is followed.
Ruto named Erastus Ethekon, as chairperson and appointed six commissioners for a six-year term: Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu, Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor Hassan, Francis Odhiambo Aduol and Fahima Araphat Abdallah.
President William Ruto nominated the seven on May 8, forwarding their names to the National Assembly for vetting and approval in accordance with the IEBC Act and the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act (Chapter 7F, Laws of Kenya).
