President William Samoei Ruto has appointed Erastus Edung Ethekon as the new chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), formalizing the decision through Gazette Notice No. 7724 dated June 10, 2025.
Ethekon will serve a six-year term, as stipulated by Article 250(2) of the Constitution and the IEBC Act. This period will see him lead the commission through the next electoral cycle, including the pivotal 2027 general elections.
Alongside Ethekon, six new commissioners have been named: Ann Njeri Nderitu, Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor Hassan, Francis Odhiambo Aduol, and Fahima Araphat Abdallah. They will also serve for six years, bringing a mix of experience and regional diversity to the commission.
The appointments follow parliamentary approval and a vetting process by the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC).
However, their finalisation comes amid ongoing legal controversy. The High Court had earlier allowed Parliament to proceed with vetting but issued conservatory orders barring the gazettement and swearing-in of the nominees until key constitutional questions are resolved.
The legal challenge, filed by activists Boniface Mwangi and Kelvin Roy Omondi, alleges the selection process lacked transparency, adequate public participation, and inclusivity, particularly for marginalised groups.
Justice Lawrence Mugambi referred the matter to Chief Justice Martha Koome for a bench to address these constitutional issues, with a substantive hearing slated for June 23.
Despite the pending court case, the appointments come at a critical time for the IEBC, which is tasked with overseeing by-elections, managing electoral boundaries, and restoring public trust in Kenya’s electoral processes.
The new leadership is expected to steer crucial reforms aimed at enhancing transparency, efficiency, and credibility, as the country prepares for the 2027 polls.
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