Erastus Ethekon is set to be sworn in as Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) later on Friday July 11, alongside six commissioners, after President Ruto re-gazetted their appointments following a court ruling that nullified earlier notices but allowed fresh, lawful reappointment.
President Ruto re-gazetted the appointments in a special issue of the Kenya Gazette dated July 10, after a High Court ruling on Thursday July 10, quashed earlier gazettements but gave the green light for the appointments to be lawfully reissued.
The event that will take place at Supreme Court building, will be presided over by Chief Justice Justice
On Thursday the High Court ruled that while the IEBC appointments were valid, the initial Gazette Notice by President Ruto violated an active court order and was therefore procedurally flawed.
A three-judge bench comprising of Justices Roselyne Aburili, John Chigiti, and Bahati Mwamuye nullified the notice, resulting in a fresh gazettement on July 10, in line with the court’s directive.
The judges declined to revoke the actual appointments, noting the issue lay in the process, not the merit of the appointees.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act, 2011 Section 7(1) clearly states that members “shall be appointed for a single term of six years and shall not be eligible for re‑appointment,” Meaning, after being sworn in, Erastus Edung Ethekon will serve a six-year term as Chairperson of the IEBC, alongside commissioners Ann Njeri Nderitu, Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor Hassan, Francis Odhiambo Aduol, and Fahima Araphat Abdallah.
