Ethekon: I won’t favour Ruto or anyone else in 2027 polls

The nominee for the position of Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Erastus Ethekon, has pledged to remain neutral if appointed, amid public concerns about his ties to top government officials.

Speaking on Saturday during his vetting before the National Assembly’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, Ethekon dismissed claims that he would favour President William Ruto or any political figure in the 2027 elections.

He told the lawmakers that his leadership would be guided solely by the Constitution and the laws of Kenya.

"I want to assure the committee that I will not be biased," said Ethekon.

"Whatever past professional associations I may have had, the IEBC is an independent institution, and I intend to uphold that independence without compromise."

The vetting session, chaired by Tharaka MP George Murugara, came shortly after the High Court lifted an injunction that had stopped the vetting process due to concerns about the regional and gender balance in the list of nominees.

Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo raised the issue of objections submitted by three individuals opposing Ethekon’s nomination.

The objections alleged that Ethekon may favour the President in future elections because of his previous role as a legal advisor to former Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok, who is now Deputy Chief of Staff at State House.

"The objection claims you might favour President William Ruto in the 2027 elections because of your links with Nanok, who was your boss when you served as legal advisor in Turkana," Amollo said.

In his response, Ethekon admitted he had worked under Nanok in Turkana County but insisted their relationship was purely professional.

"For the record, I am not related to Nanok—not even at the clan level, let alone family. Our work together was about service delivery for the people of Turkana, and nothing more," he said.

JLAC Chair Murugara (Tharaka) also asked if there was any family connection with Nanok, to which Ethekon replied: "For the record, Honourable Chairman, not even close, not at the clan level, let alone family. We come from different villages and have no relationship whatsoever, whether by marriage or extended family."

Ethekon acknowledged the pressure that comes with leading the electoral commission, especially given the history of disputed elections in the country.

He said he was ready for the responsibility and committed to restoring public faith in the electoral process.

"I applied for this role knowing full well that trust in our electoral process has been fragile. If confirmed, I intend to rebuild and reinforce public confidence in the commission’s work," he told the committee.

His nomination is part of the resumed IEBC appointments process after a long delay caused by a legal challenge over the fairness of the selection process.

With the court having cleared the way, Parliament is now vetting both the chairperson and commissioners who will oversee the 2027 general election.