The Selection Panel for the appointment of IEBC Commissioners to oversee the upcoming General Election has been sworn in.
Dr. Elizabeth Muli, Gideon Solonka, Awori James, Elizabeth Meyo, Dorothy Kimengech, Rev. Joseph Ngumbi, and Dr. Faradim Abdalla were among the seven members of the panel named by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
However, due to restraining orders given by the High Court earlier on Wednesday, one of them, Dorothy Kimengich, who was the Law Society of Kenya’s delegate on the council, did not take the oath.
Acting Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu urged the committee to move cautiously, as their decision affects Kenya as a whole.
“You do not need me to tell you that in this country we take elections very passionately… I do hope to God that you are taking the task placed before you seriously and that you will remember that while you can cheat everybody, there are two people you will not be able to cheat; yourself and God,” said Justice Mwilu.
President Uhuru Kenyatta issued a statement calling for the appointment of new officials to fill the vacancies created by the resignations of four commissioners in 2018.
“IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by section 7A (2) of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act, 2011, I, Uhuru Kenyatta, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces, declare vacancies in the positions of four members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.” a gazette notice dated 16th April 2021 read.
After the contentious departures of Roselyn Akombe, Paul Kurgat, Margaret Mwachanya, and Consolata Maina from the electoral commission, the electoral agency has not been completely constituted.
Meetings to address key challenges have not been held due to a lack in quorum of the commissioners.
The four’s departure had been shrouded in controversy because, the High Court declined to declare the IEBC illegally constituted because the affected commissioners had only “resigned through a press release rather than writing a letter to the appointing authority.”
