Registrar of Political Parties Anne Njeri Nderitu has firmly defended her nomination to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), stating that her current position does not render her ineligible for the coveted post.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) on Saturday, Nderitu clarified a key legal distinction—that nomination is not equivalent to appointment.
“When I applied for the job, I knew one cannot be appointed as a commissioner while still in a state office,” she told the committee chaired by George Murugara.
“This is a process. I have not been appointed, and the law allows one to resign before formal appointment.”
Her remarks were in response to Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo, who pointed out that the committee had received submissions objecting to her nomination due to her active role as Registrar of Political Parties.
In her defense, Nderitu cited a 2014 parliamentary ruling, in which the National Assembly clarified that a public office only becomes vacant upon actual appointment to a new position—not during nomination. “Based on that precedent, I believe I am in full compliance,” she said confidently.
Having served as Registrar since 2019, Nderitu touted her experience in party regulation and electoral reform as critical assets she would bring to the IEBC if approved.
Her vetting comes as Parliament resumes the long-delayed process of reconstituting the IEBC. The exercise had been stalled by a court injunction, following petitions that challenged the diversity of the nominee list.
While the court has allowed the vetting to proceed, it ruled that the final appointments and swearing-in must wait pending further judicial review—leaving Nderitu and others in a legal and political limbo.
