Former Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Anne Amadi has emerged as the top contender for the chairperson position of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission IEBC, according to a new TIFA poll released on Wednesday 7, 2025.

Amadi was backed by 41% of respondents, putting her ahead of former East African Court Judge Charles Nyachae, who received 23% support. Erastus Ethekon followed with 15%, while Abdulqadir Ramadhan garnered 12%.

The survey, conducted between May 2 and May 6, 2025, involved 2,024 participants across nine regions. The poll was carried out via telephone interviews in both English and Kiswahili and has a margin of error of ±2.17%.

The findings show Amadi enjoys broad national appeal, with Nairobi leading with (54%) and Nyanza (53%) recording the highest levels of support. Other regions also reflected strong backing: Coast (45%), South Rift (41%), Lower Eastern and Western (37% each), Central Rift (36%), and Northern Kenya (34%).

Gender-based responses show a relatively balanced preference for Amadi with 42% of women versus 40% of men, while Nyachae performed better among men (26%) than women (20%).

The report shows, among all Kenyans surveyed, Anne Amadi was nearly twice as popular as her closest competitor, Charles Nyachae.

The IEBC chair race comes at a time when public trust in the electoral process remains fragile, with many Kenyans expressing concerns.

TIFA reseach shows, half of all Kenyans lack confidence that the upcoming general elections will be free and fair. Only 20% of respondents believe the elections will meet that standard, while 21% think they will be only somewhat free and fair. Another 9% remain uncertain.

The widespread skepticism is largely attributed to concerns over political interference, corruption, voter bribery, and a general lack of trust in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission IEBC.