Details have now emerged on the resignation of IEBC CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan, following a series of governance and procurement controversies that have rocked the electoral commission.
Last week, the commission is said to have held a plenary meeting where members reportedly agreed to a “mutual separation” with Marjan, a decision that has raised questions about the circumstances leading to his exit.
Sources indicate that the move comes after an audit report flagged serious governance concerns, particularly around procurement and employment decisions under his watch.
“The entire commission felt the working relationship had become untenable,” a source familiar with the deliberations said, adding that questions had been raised about whether his continued stay in office was sustainable amid governance concerns.
At the centre of the controversy was a recent audit report that flagged integrity issues touching on procurement and employment practices.
Among the most contentious issues were payments to external advocates running into hundreds of millions of shillings, of which 40% have been red-flagged as potentially fake.
Marjan is also reported to have unilaterally procured election software and hardware, actions insiders say violated IEBC law.
Attempts to extend contracts for strategic election materials, including ballot papers, voter registration kits, ballot boxes, and seals, were similarly contentious.
Records indicate that a two-year framework extension signed in 2024 by Marjan alone due to lapse at the end of 2026, was approved at a time when commissioners were not fully in office, has been deemed irregular.
Under IEBC Standard Operating Procedures, procurement of strategic materials such as ballot papers, voter registration kits, ballot boxes and seals must receive commissioner approval.
“These are not ordinary supplies; they are strategic election materials that require collective authorization,” another insider noted.
Further tension reportedly arose in November 2025, shortly after the new commissioners assumed office, when attempts were allegedly made to broaden the framework agreement to include acquisition of new equipment.
Sources say the proposal to expand procurement were rejected by the new commissioners,” deepening the rift between the Secretariat and the Commission.
Insiders suggest Marjan’s nearly 15-year tenure, during which she oversaw two general elections, may have reached a natural endpoint.
The commission is believed to have offered a “soft landing,” a term industry sources say refers to a negotiated exit package.
Attempts to reach Marjan for comment have so far been unsuccessful.
In an official statement released on February 3, 2026 in Nairobi, the IEBC confirmed that Marjan’s exit followed a mutual agreement to terminate his services, formally ending his tenure and triggering the recruitment process for a new CEO and Commission Secretary.
“The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission today announces the formal exit of its Chief Executive Officer and Commission Secretary, Mr. Marjan Hussein Marjan, after reaching an agreement to terminate his services by mutual consent,” read part of the statement signed by commission Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon,
The Commission added that an interim replacement would be named to ensure continuity, stating the transition is “designed to maintain momentum in carrying forward the IEBC constitutional mandates including conducting elections and boundaries delimitation.”
IEBC acknowledged Marjan’s service since March 2022, noting that he “steered the Commission Secretariat during the period of absence of Commissioners until the Commission was fully constituted on 11th July 2025.”
Assuring stakeholders, the Commission emphasized that the leadership changes would not disrupt operations.
“The changes within the Secretariat and management arrangements will not affect our ongoing activities including the conduct of by-elections and preparedness for the 2027 General Elections,” the statement said, adding that the move is intended to “enhance effectiveness, efficiency, transparency and accountability.”
While the official communication frames the exit as cordial and reform-driven, the emerging details around audit findings, procurement disputes, and internal confidence battles suggest Marjan’s departure marks both an institutional reset and the close of a contentious chapter within Kenya’s electoral body.
The IEBC’s ongoing efforts to safeguard the integrity of strategic election processes have placed the spotlight firmly on governance, compliance, and accountability at the highest levels.
Marjan’s exit marks a significant turning point for the commission as it prepares for the next electoral cycle.
