Kenya's president nominates election commission members

Kenya's President William Ruto has nominated Erastus Edung Ethekon to serve as the country's chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Currently, the IEBC, which should have six commissioners and a chairperson, does not have any serving commissioner, as the previous ones retired, resigned or were removed from office over allegations of gross misconduct.

Ethekon succeeds Wafuka Chebukati, who had completed his six-year term, after serving from January 2017 until January 2023. Chebukati died of cardiac arrest in Kenya's capital Nairobi at the age of 63 in February 2025.

The members of the commission are appointed for a single term of six years and are not eligible for re-appointment.

Nominees to be approved by parliament

President Ruto has also nominated Ann Njeri Nderitu, Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor Hassan, Francis Odhiambo Aduol and Fahima Araphat Abdallah as members of the commission.

The presidency said on Thursday that the IEBC selection panel recommended two candidates for the position of chairperson, and nine for the position of IEBC commissioner. From that pool, the head of state was supposed to choose seven commissioners, including the chairperson.

President Ruto has transmitted the names of those nominated to serve as IEBC commissioners to parliament for consideration and approval.

Kenya's electoral body, IEBC, has often come under intense scrutiny and criticism over how it handles the country's general elections, with accusations of favouritism often made against it.

Opposition petitioned court against IEBC

For instance, in the last general election in August 2022, the opposition, led by its presidential candidate Raila Odinga, accused a section of the IEBC commissioners, including the then-chairperson Chebukati, of rigging the election in favour of Ruto.

The IEBC denied the allegations, and Odinga lost a court battle, which sought to nullify the presidential election result.