Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chief Executive Officer Marjan Hussein Marjan stepped down from office on Tuesday.
In a statement, the Commission said his departure followed a mutual agreement to end his engagement.
Marjan was appointed to the top administrative post at the IEBC in recognition of his solid academic training and extensive professional experience in finance, auditing, and strategic management.
Born in 1979, he holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a Master of Business Administration in Strategic Management from the University of Nairobi. He is a qualified accountant and audit professional with wide-ranging expertise in financial management, auditing, and organisational leadership.
Prior to joining the public sector, Marjan spent more than 20 years at Telkom Kenya, where he served as Head of Internal Audit, Investigations, and Quality.
He joined the IEBC in March 2015 as Deputy Commission Secretary in charge of Support Services and later rose to become the Commission’s Lead Coordinator.
After the departure of former CEO Ezra Chiloba in 2017, Marjan took over as Acting CEO in September that year, a role he held for nearly five years.
In March 2022, he was confirmed as the substantive CEO after emerging top among five shortlisted candidates, ending a prolonged period of acting leadership at the electoral body.
As CEO, Marjan headed the IEBC Secretariat, the administrative arm tasked with overseeing the commission’s daily operations.
He played a key role in coordinating the Commission’s preparations and activities during the 2022 General Election, providing organisational stability after years without a substantive chief executive.
Marjan is a Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (CPA-K) and a practising member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK). His professional qualifications also include certifications as an Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Internal Auditor (CIA), Control Self-Assessment specialist (CCSA), and Certified Quality Assessor (CQA).
These credentials positioned him at the heart of financial oversight, risk management, and institutional governance within the Commission.
He is also a member of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) and the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), underscoring his proficiency in audit systems, internal controls, and corporate governance.
In his role as IEBC CEO, Marjan served as the Commission’s accounting officer and head of the Secretariat, overseeing day-to-day administration and supporting the execution of Commission decisions.
In recognising his contribution, the IEBC described Marjan as a dedicated public servant who offered professional leadership during a critical phase in the institution’s operations.
“We particularly thank him for steering the Secretariat during the period when the Commission operated without Commissioners,” said IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon.
The Commission noted that the leadership transition comes amid ongoing internal reforms within the Secretariat, aimed at enhancing accountability, improving performance, and ensuring continuity as the IEBC prepares for key electoral milestones.
“The IEBC Secretariat plays a central role in electoral service delivery, and the Commission intends for it to demonstrate the preparedness, commitment, and professionalism required to conduct credible, free, and fair elections in Kenya,” the statement said.
