President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed four new Commissioners to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), who were sworn in a day later.
Chief Justice Martha Koome swore in Juliana Whonge Cherera, Francis Mathenge Wanderi, Irene Cherop Masit, and Justus Abonyo Nyang’ay at the Supreme Court building on Thursday.
The four will take over for Vice-Chairperson Consolata Nkatha, commissioners Margaret Mwachanya, Paul Kurgat, and Roselyn Akombe, who all resigned during the previous election period.
A petition to prevent the four new commissioners from being sworn in was already dismissed by the High Court.
Nornael Okello, a petitioner, sought the oath to be stopped, claiming that the nomination and appointment of one of the nominees, Ms. Irene Masiit, violated Article 88(2)(a) of the Constitution because she had run for office in the previous General Election.
In a brief judgment on Thursday, Justice Weldon Korir emphasized that the country is approaching elections and that any further delay in the commissions’ swearing-in will endanger Kenyans.
