The race to succeed the late Wafula Chebukati as Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has commenced with the publication of 37 shortlisted applicants for interviews.
Among the notable names on the list are former Chairperson of the Constitution Implementation Commission (CIC), Charles Nyachae, former Chief Registrar of the Judiciary, Anne Amadi, and former IEBC Chief Executive Officer, James Oswago. Other prominent candidates include IEBC Director of Legal Services, Chrispine Owiye, former Nairobi County Assembly Clerk, Jacob Ngwele, Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority Independent Board Member, Francis Kissinger, Kenya Power Board Chairperson, Joy Brenda Masinde-Mdivo, and Head of Investigations at Directline Assurance Company Limited, Wilson Wambugu Maina.
Also making it to the shortlist are Choge Rollince, Cedrick Ogoro, Edward Ngenywa, Kibet Victor, Lilian Wanjiku, Isaac Mutua, Patrick Otuliia, Jackson Angortum, Kenneth Kemboi, Saul Wasilwa, Fred Khaemba, Kadhua Jimmy, Vincent Oluoch, and Wycliff Kiprotich.
Additional shortlisted candidates include Samson Ogada, Samuel Kiragu, Yvonne Olaka, Samuel Ochillo, Peter Nyongesa, Nelly Ashubwe, Erastus Ethekon, Abdulqadir Ramadhan, Calistus Waswa, Duncan Ojwang’, Josiah Onyancha, Thomas Nyakambi, Walubengo Waningilo, and William Oketch.
Nyachae resigned as a Judge of the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) in 2023 before being appointed by President William Ruto as Chairperson of the Board of the Kenya School of Government. Amadi stepped down from the Judiciary in January 2024 after a decade of service, while Oswago joined the electoral body in 2009 when it was still known as the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) before resigning in 2013.
In October last year, the High Court upheld the convictions of Oswago and his deputy, Wilson Shollei, in the infamous Chickengate scandal. The Anti-Corruption Court’s Chief Magistrate, Felix Kombo, sitting in Nairobi in December 2022, sentenced both men to four years in prison or an alternative fine of KSh7.5 million each for corruption linked to the procurement of KSh1.3 billion voter identification devices for the 2013 General Election.
They were charged alongside two others with four counts of wilful failure to comply with procurement regulations and abuse of office. Oswago and Shollei were convicted on two counts and appealed, while the other two accused were acquitted for lack of evidence.
Kissinger, on the other hand, has expertise in electoral monitoring, observation, management, and training across six African countries, namely Zambia, Ethiopia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Liberia, and Uganda.
According to Section 6 of the IEBC Act, the Chairperson of the Commission must be qualified to hold the office of a Supreme Court judge under the Constitution. This means the 37 candidates must hold a law degree, have at least 15 years of experience as a superior court judge or distinguished legal practitioner, demonstrate high moral character and integrity, and meet the requirements of Chapter Six of the Constitution.
A person qualifies for appointment as a member of the Commission if they hold a degree from a recognised university and possess proven experience in electoral matters, management, finance, governance, public administration, or law, in addition to meeting the requirements of Chapter Six of the Constitution. The panel overseeing the recruitment of IEBC officials has shortlisted 1,356 candidates for the positions of Chairperson and Commission members. Of the 1,333 applicants for the position of IEBC member, 237 are female, 1,078 are male, and 18 did not attach their identification number.
The nine-member selection panel, led by Dr Nelson Makanda, revealed on Wednesday that Homa Bay County had the highest number of applicants for the IEBC Chairperson position, followed by Kisii, Bungoma, and Trans Nzoia Counties.
Applications were received from 33 counties, with Homa Bay leading at 63 applicants, followed by Kisii (62), Kakamega (54), Nakuru (29), Nandi (25), Kiambu (20), Mombasa (10), Nairobi (8), while Siaya had only two applicants.
The selection panel, which has a 90-day deadline, aims to fill the position of Chairperson and six commissioners by May. In a previous interview, the Nelson Makanda-led team indicated that it hopes to forward the names of successful candidates to the President by 25 April for appointment.
“Thereafter, the next steps will follow because, as stipulated by law, the names will be forwarded to Parliament for vetting before the successful candidates assume office,” stated the panel’s Vice Chairperson, Lindah Kiome.
