National Assembly to vet electoral team from May 27
Speaker of the National Assembly, Moses Wetang’ula, said the vetting process will start as soon as Parliament resumes its sittings.
The National Assembly will begin vetting seven individuals nominated to serve in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on May 27, in a key step towards reconstituting the electoral agency ahead of future elections.
The vetting will be conducted by the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs after President William Ruto forwarded the names of Erastus Ethekon and six others for parliamentary approval.
Speaker of the National Assembly, Moses Wetang’ula, said the vetting process will start as soon as Parliament resumes its sittings.
"The Committee is expected to immediately commence the approval process and, thereafter, table its Report," read the statement from Wetang’ula.
In preparation for the vetting, the Clerk of the National Assembly has been instructed to notify members and organise the committee hearings, following the provisions of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act.
The National Assembly is expected to conclude its consideration of the committee’s report within 28 days, as required by law.
The other nominees set to face the committee are Ann Njeri Nderitu, Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor Hassan, Francis Odhiambo Aduol, and Fahima Araphat Abdalla.
Their nomination follows a report by the Selection Panel tasked with recruiting new IEBC officials, which was submitted to the President on May 6, 2025.
The panel, chaired by Nelson Makanda, had proposed two candidates for the chairperson position and nine others to fill six commissioner posts. From this pool, the President selected seven individuals for nomination.
"In recognition of the indispensable role of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) as one of the cornerstone institutions of our democracy and a custodian of electoral management, His Excellency the President has urged the National Assembly to prioritise the consideration of these nominations," the statement added.
The committee’s vetting responsibilities are guided by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act, 2011, which gives Parliament 21 days from the date of receiving the nominations to complete the process.
Among the 11 candidates interviewed for the position of IEBC chairperson were former Judiciary Chief Registrar Anne Amadi and former Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution Chairperson Charles Nyachae.
Also considered were governance and legal professionals such as Joy Mdivo, Jacob Ngwele Muvengei, Erastus Edung Ethekon, who has now been nominated, Francis Kakai Kissinger, Lilian Wanjiku Manegene, and Saul Simiyu Wasilwa.
Once approved, the new IEBC chairperson and commissioners will take over the management of the country’s electoral processes, including overseeing upcoming by-elections and the 2027 General Election.
