President William Ruto has received the names of nominees to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
The report on the recruitment of nominees was presented to the President by the IEBC Selection Panel at State House, Nairobi, on Tuesday.
He commended the panel, chaired by Dr Nelson Makanda, for their commendable work.
The President affirmed that he will undertake his constitutional responsibilities by nominating the selected candidates and forwarding their names to the National Assembly for consideration.
He emphasised the importance of restoring the full functionality of the IEBC without delay, noting that a credible and operational electoral commission is essential in strengthening democracy, upholding the rule of law, and preparing for future electoral processes in a timely and transparent manner.
The IEBC has been without a fully constituted leadership since early 2023, following the expiration of the term of its previous chair, Wafula Chebukati, on January 17, 2023.
Chebukati’s tenure, which began in 2017 under President Uhuru Kenyatta, was marked by significant controversy, particularly during the 2017 and 2022 general elections.
The 2017 election saw the Supreme Court annul the presidential results due to irregularities, a historic first in Africa, leading to a rerun that opposition leader Raila Odinga boycotted.
The 2022 election, which brought Ruto to power, was equally contentious. Odinga, who lost to Ruto by a narrow margin, alleged electoral fraud, a claim that gained traction when four of the seven IEBC commissioners disowned the final results, citing a lack of transparency in the tallying process.
Chebukati, however, stood by the results, which were upheld by the Supreme Court, though the episode deepened public distrust in the electoral body.
The internal strife within the IEBC during Chebukati’s tenure further destabilized the commission.
In 2018, Vice Chair Connie Nkatha Maina and commissioners Margaret Mwachanya and Paul Kurgat resigned, citing Chebukati’s ineffective leadership.
By the time Chebukati’s term ended in 2023, the IEBC was already grappling with a leadership vacuum, exacerbated by the resignations and the contentious 2022 election fallout.
Chebukati himself passed away in February 2025 at the age of 63, after a critical illness, leaving behind a polarizing legacy that underscored the urgent need for reform in Kenya’s electoral system.
The vacancies in the IEBC were further compounded by broader political unrest in 2023.
Violent protests erupted early that year, driven by opposition complaints over electoral malpractices, the high cost of living, and rising taxes under Ruto’s administration.
In response, a parliamentary committee was formed in August 2023 to address these grievances.
The committee’s report, released in November 2023, recommended a “restructuring and reconstitution” of the IEBC, including the appointment of a panel of experts to evaluate the 2022 electoral process and establish mechanisms for future elections.
This report set the stage for the formation of the IEBC Selection Panel, which has now completed its recruitment process, culminating in the report handed to Ruto on May 6, 2025.
President Ruto’s receipt of the IEBC recruitment report marks a critical step toward reconstituting the electoral body, which is essential for conducting by-elections and preparing for the 2027 general election.
The reconstitution of the IEBC is a litmus test for Ruto’s commitment to electoral integrity, especially as he faces a likely challenge from opposition figures.
The IEBC’s credibility will be crucial in ensuring a transparent election, particularly given Kenya’s history of electoral disputes.
Ruto’s administration has also been under pressure to implement broader reforms, as recommended by the 2023 parliamentary committee, including tax policy reviews and the establishment of a prime minister’s office to improve governance.
