Former Judiciary Chief Registrar Anne Amadi has said she will strive to cultivate a good working relationship with all the commissioners and the secretariat to avoid internal conflicts if appointed IEBC chairperson.
Amadi acknowledged that strained relations within the commission hinder delivery of service and realisation of the vision hence the need to understand the interests of everyone.
Speaking when she appeared before the IEBC selection panel for vetting, Amadi said the chairperson being the face of the commission ought to play a crucial role as a unifying factor.
“As a leader, it is the chair that plays a key role in setting the agenda. In so doing, it means that you ought to rally members around the vision that you have so that the agenda is supported and that the people have a common view and a shared understanding,” she said.
She said having served as the secretary to the National Council on the Administration of Justice, a role that required extensive stakeholder engagement, strong communication skills, and governance expertise, the experience has significantly exposed her.
“It is very clear to me where the role of the chairperson ends and where that of the secretary starts,” she said.
Amadi who is among the 11 candidates shortlisted for the chairperson position had been asked to explain how she would work to avert differences with other commissioners as was the case with the former commission.
Naivasha Law Courts Chief Magistrate Abdulqadi Lorot Ramadan was the first to appear before the panel.
Others scheduled to appear during the day are former East African Court of Justice judges Charles Nyachae and Edward Katama Ngeywa.
The oral interviews for the positions of chairperson and members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commenced Monday, March 24.
The three-day exercise ends Wednesday.
Candidates who applied for the positions of member will be interviewed from Thursday, March, 27 to April 24.
The interviews are being held at the College of Insurance South C, Nairobi.
