More than 1,800 Kenyans have applied for the positions of chairperson and members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
This is as the Selection Panel for the recruitment of nominees for the positions announced the closure of the application period as they embark on scrutinising the list of applicants.
The panel said some applications were hand-delivered to the secretariat and others submitted via email.
“By the 5 pm deadline, we had received 1,848 consisting of applications hand-delivered to the secretariat at the third floor, County House Building, Parliament Road and two applications submitted online as PDF file format attachments,” panel chairperson Nelson Makanda said.
He said they have started the verification process and will be issuing the long list comprising all the names of the applicants, in accordance with paragraph 3( 1 ) of the First Schedule of the IEBC Act.
“The panel would like to reassure the public that members of the Selection Panel are committed to conducting a fair and transparent process,” Makanda said in a statement on Sunday.
The application process for the positions of the chairperson and members of the electoral agency came to a close on February 15 at 5 pm.
Makanda said the panel shall keep the public informed at all stages of the recruitment exercise.
On February 11, Makanda announced that a new electoral commission will be in place by April 25.
“We, as the selection panel, have undertaken to ensure that we deliver on our mandate of giving Kenyans the next chairperson and members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission by April 25,” he said.
The names of all applicants and the interview schedule of short-listed candidates will be published in the print media, the Kenya Gazette, and the Parliamentary Service Commission Website, Makanda said.
After the shortlisting and interviews, the team will submit names of qualified candidates to President William Ruto for nomination.
Ruto will then nominate one person for appointment as chairman and six as members. Within seven days, the names will be submitted to the National Assembly for approval before being formally appointed.
Early this month, the selection panel invited applications for the position of IEBC chairperson and six commissioners.
Qualified Kenyans were asked to send their applications to the team until February 15.
