What next for IEBC selection panel after long list of applicants

The next phase involves consideration of the applications to ensure those who applied meet the set requirements.

by FELIX KIPKEMOI

News06 March 2025 - 16:02

In Summary

The Panel anticipates to conclude the interviews by April and forward the names of successful individuals to the president on April 25 for appointment.
Within seven days after receiving the names, the president will forward the list of nominees to the National Assembly for approval.

*The chairperson of the selection panel responsible for the recruitment of nominees for positions of Chairperson and members for IEBC Nelson Makanda at a past press briefing/FILE*

The selection panel for the recruitment of IEBC commissioners unveiled the long list of all applicants on Thursday, March 6, just days after President William Ruto urged it to expedite the process.

Ruto made the call during the funeral of former Malava MP Malulu Injendi.

“The committee tasked with reconstituting the new IEBC commissioners should speed up the process so that Malava residents can elect their leader as I assist them,” he said.

His remarks followed concerns raised by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula about the absence of an electoral body which is preventing the residents from electing a new MP.

According to the panel, a total of 1, 848 applications were received by the close of the application process on February 15.

The panel, however, stated that some applications that were either duplicates or stray were eliminated applications reducing the number to 1, 356.

Out of this, 37 are for the chairperson position while 1, 319 are for the commissioners.

Following the publication of the long list, the panel is set to consider the applications to ensure those who applied meet the set requirements.

“...the panel shall now proceed to undertake the shortlisting process, the list of which will also be published soon...,” the Panel’s chairperson Nelson Makanda said in a statement.

It will then interview the shortlisted applicants.

The interviews are to be conducted in public.

The Panel anticipates to conclude the process by April and forward the names of successful individuals to the President on April 25 for appointment.

Upon completion of the interviews, the panel shall select two persons qualified to be appointed chairperson and nine persons qualified to be appointed as members of the Commission and forward it to the President.

The President will then nominate one person for appointment as the chairperson and six persons for appointment as members.

Within seven days after receiving the names, the President will forward the list of nominees to the National Assembly for approval.

Parliament will then conclude the exercise and forward the names back to the President.

Appointment of the commissioners

The President shall, within seven days of receipt of the approved names by the National Assembly, by notice in the Gazette, appoint the chairperson and the members of the commission.

In shortlisting, nominating, or appointing persons as chairperson and members of the Commission, the selection panel, the National Assembly and the President shall ensure that not more than two-thirds of the members are of the same gender and shall ensure regional balance.