Eyes on Ruto as hiring of IEBC bosses enter final stretch

The recruitment of IEBC commissioners is set to enter the final stretch, with the hiring panel set to hand over the list to President William Ruto.

The handover expected by next month has already sparked fresh political tension across the country’s sharply divided political landscape.

The panel, mandated with overseeing the recruitment of new IEBC commissioners, concluded its vetting process on Friday.

The panel chairperson said they will send the names to the President on May 11.

“We were given 90 days; Parliament then gave us additional 14 days which end on May 11. By May 11, we would have given the names to the President,” IEBC Selection Panel chair Nelson Makanda told journalists on Friday.

The panel is expected to give Ruto two names for chairperson and nine names for members of the commission.

The President will then settle on one name for chairman and six for members of the commission.

The names will then be sent to Parliament for approval or otherwise.

The leeway given to the President by the law has triggered unease within the opposition and some civil society groups, who have raised concerns over transparency, independence and fairness in the selection process.

The IEBC, tasked with overseeing elections and boundary reviews, plays a central role in Kenya’s democratic system.

Its credibility remains fragile after the contentious previous elections, where internal divisions and accusations of partiality plagued its operations.

Makanda assured the nation that the election process was aboveboard dismissing allegations that they were conveyor belt of the Executive.

“We wish to reassure Kenyans that we have conducted the process transparently and within the law,” he said.

Already, a lobby group has moved to court seeking orders to halt the process and start the hiring process afresh.

Operation Linda Jamii accused the panel of bias and political favouritism, claiming it has "deliberately shortlisted individuals with clear political affiliations" and compromised the credibility of the selection process.

The lobby group singled out Charles Nyachae and Joy Mdivo, arguing the two have political leanings and should not be considered for the position which requires impartiality.

Opposition leaders led by Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Eugene Wamalwa (DAP-K) and Martha Karua (People’s Liberation Party) also voiced concern over the lack of inclusivity in the nomination process, with some calling for greater public engagement before appointments are finalised.

"We are surprised that there are already leaks on which candidates are preferred for the chairperson position, even before the selection panel concludes the process. Who is this person who already knows the preferred chairperson?” Wamalwa posed.

But Makanda dismissed the circulating list saying the panel is not aware of any names sent to the President.

“We do not know where the names are coming from, you are the media you should tell us,” Makanda said.

The panel has also been faulted for ‘sneaking’ six additional names to the shortlist of members of the commission even after publishing the initial list.

In his response, Makanda insisted the addition was necessary to attain inclusivity which was not achieved by the initial list.

“The six names were not sneaked. We reviewed the shortlist further to fulfill regional balance, youth representation and overall inclusivity,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kenya Kwanza leaders have defended the process, urging critics to respect institutional procedures and wait for Parliament to play its role in the vetting and approval process.

Tharaka MP George Murugara while admitting the process has been slow, lauded the selection panel for doing a thorough job.

“The process of interviews has been painstakingly slow but the selection panel has had to do a thorough job. It had too many applicants and many were shortlisted,” Murugara told the Star.

“As soon as the nominees are picked, we will vet them quickly and I assure Kenya that by end of June, the commission will be in office.”