IEBC Selection Panel Begins Work After Swearing In
The 9-member panel tasked with selecting new Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioners has officially commenced its work.
President William Ruto appointed the panel, which includes Kiome Lindah Gakii, Prof. Oloo Adams, James Evans Misati, Nicodemus Kipchirchir Bore, Amb. Koki Muli Grignon, and Carolene Kituku. The remaining members are Tanui Andrew Kipkoech, Dr. Nelson Makanda, and Fatuma Saman.
In a gazette notice dated January 27, 2025, President Ruto revoked the appointments of the members of the IEBC selection panel made in 2023, paving the way for the new panel’s work.
During the swearing-in ceremony today(Monday, January 27) Chief Justice Martha Koome emphasized the critical importance of the panel’s mandate. She urged the members to ensure they appoint commissioners of high integrity, underscoring that the IEBC must reflect the highest standards of professionalism and credibility.
“The commissioners you appoint must be individuals of untainted credibility—committed to independence, impartiality, and the principles enshrined in our Constitution,” Koome said. “The IEBC is not just another government agency; it is the custodian of our electoral integrity.”
The panel is expected to conduct interviews and appoint new commissioners within 90 days.
Meanwhile, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has directed the Secretary to the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC), Jeremiah Nyegenye, to facilitate the panel’s operations.
This development follows a High Court ruling on Friday, which dismissed a petition challenging the constitutionality of the panel’s formation. The ruling came after growing pressure on President Ruto to establish the panel and address concerns over delays in reforms.
Term of Office
The panel will serve for 90 days, during which it will recruit and submit the names of nominated candidates to the president for appointment. However, the National Assembly and Senate can pass a resolution to extend the panel’s term.
Operating Procedure
At its first sitting, the selection panel will elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson from among its members. The panel requires a quorum of five members to operate and will establish its own rules of operation.
The Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) will provide secretariat services and necessary facilities to support the panel’s work.
Within seven days of its appointment, the panel will invite applications from qualified individuals and publish the names and qualifications of all applicants in the Gazette, two national newspapers, and on the PSC website.
The panel will then review the applications, shortlist candidates, and conduct interviews in public.
After the interviews, the panel will select two individuals for chairperson and nine others for commission membership, forwarding the names to the President.
The president will nominate one person as chairperson and six people as commission members.
Within seven days of receiving the list, the president will submit the nominees to the National Assembly for approval.
Appointment of Commissioners
The president will, within seven days of receiving the approved list from the National Assembly, appoint the chairperson and commission members by notice in the Gazette.
In the shortlisting, nomination, and appointment process, the selection panel, National Assembly, and president must ensure that no more than two-thirds of the members belong to the same gender and ensure regional balance.
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