Panel ‘picks top IEBC candidates’

The selection panel to recruit four electoral commissioners has completed the process and is expected to submit names of the best candidates to the President for nomination.

The panel, chaired by Dr Elizabeth Muli, has been interviewing 36 shortlisted candidates to fill positions that fell vacant between 2017 and 2018 at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). This comes almost one year to the August 9, 2022 elections.

Sunday Nation has learnt that the panel has settled on eight candidates, ranked according to the marks they attained, ranging from 75 to 65. The names likely to be submitted, according to a source who spoke on condition of anonymity, include Naisiae Tobiko, Juliana Whonge Cherera, Kagwiria Mbogori, Richard Okoth Oduor, Irene Masit, Francis Wanderi, Justus Munyithya and Justus Nyan’gaya.

After receiving the names, the President is expected to nominate four candidates and forward their names to the National Assembly for vetting.

Dr Muli had not responded to enquiries on the recruitment process and the list to be given to the President by yesterday.

Resume sittings

The National Assembly is currently on a month-long recess and is expected to resume its sittings on Tuesday.

Once he receives the final list, Speaker of National Assembly Justin Muturi will communicate the President’s message to the House and forward the names to the committee on Justice and Legal Affairs to consider the suitability of those picked to serve as commissioners and recommend to the House to approve or reject them.  If the House approves, the National Assembly will forward the list to the President for formal appointment.

The current IEBC team took office in January 2017 and was reduced to six when Roselyn Akombe resigned in the countdown to the 2017 repeat presidential election.

Diverse experience

In April 2018, vice chair Connie Nkatha Maina, Margaret Mwachanya and Paul Kurgat followed suit and resigned even as they questioned chairman Wafula Chebukati’s ability to lead the agency.

The list of those likely to get to the next level includes individuals with diverse experience. Ms Tobiko is the manager in charge of the Commission Services at the IEBC, Ms Cherera is an educationalist, Ms Mbogori is a former chairperson of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights while Prof Oduor is a director at Kenyatta University.

Ms Masit is a member of the board of the National Government Constituency Development Fund, Mr Wanderi served as the chairperson of the Export Processing Zone, Mr Munyithya is a lawyer while Mr Nyan’gaya is a human rights activist.