President William Ruto has nominated Erastus Edung Ethekon to serve as the new Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
The announcement was made Thursday evening in a press release issued by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, just days after the President received the IEBC Selection Panel’s final report.
If approved by Parliament, Ethekon will succeed the late Wafula Chebukati, who passed away in February this year.
Ethekon, a former Turkana County Attorney and seasoned governance expert, now faces vetting by the National Assembly before formally assuming the mantle.
Alongside Ethekon, President Ruto also nominated six individuals for appointment as IEBC commissioners, representing Kenya’s diverse regions.
The nominees include Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu (Nyandarua), Moses Alutalala Mukhwana (Kakamega), Mary Karen Sorobit (Uasin Gishu), Hassan Noor Hassan (Mandera), Francis Odhiambo Aduol (Kisumu), and Fahima Araphat Abdallah (Lamu).
Koskei emphasized the importance of the IEBC in safeguarding Kenya’s democracy and urged Parliament to prioritize the vetting process:
“In recognition of the indispensable role of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission as a cornerstone institution of our democracy, His Excellency the President has urged the National Assembly to prioritize the consideration of these nominations.”
The nominations signal the government’s push to reinvigorate the commission ahead of future electoral cycles and key boundary reviews.
