Charles Nyachae, the Chairperson of the Council of the Kenya School of Government, has pledged to restore public trust in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) if appointed as its next chairperson. Nyachae made this commitment while appearing before the selection panel tasked with recruiting nominees for the vacant IEBC leadership position.
Speaking before the panel led by Nelson Makanda, Nyachae emphasized that reducing the trust deficit in Kenya’s electoral system would be his top priority. He acknowledged that the credibility of elections remains a contentious issue in the country and assured that under his leadership, the IEBC would work diligently to instill confidence in the electoral process.
“Alongside everything else that the commission shall be doing from day one, will be efforts geared towards reducing the trust deficit,” Nyachae stated. He further expressed his desire to be remembered as the chair who significantly bridged the trust gap in electoral management.
Nyachae illustrated his vision with a sports analogy, saying that he wants Kenyans to accept election results in the same way a losing football team accepts defeat in a fair match. “The people of Kenya must feel like the losing side in Rio in a football match. They should say, they lost but that’s the way it goes because we cannot all win but we have nothing negative to say about the electoral management,” he explained.
Nyachae is one of 11 candidates shortlisted for the position, among them former Judiciary Chief Registrar Anne Amadi, Abdulqadir Lorot Ramadhan, Joy Mdivo, and Edward Katama Ngeywa. Others include Erastus Edung Ethekon, Francis Kakai Kissinger, Jacob Ngwele Muvengei, Lilian Wanjiku Manegene, Robert Akumu Asembo, and Saul Simiyu Wasilwa.
With a distinguished legal career, Nyachae has previously served as chairperson of the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC) from 2010 to 2015. He also held roles at the Kenya Law Reform Commission, the Institute for Education in Democracy, and the International Commission of Jurists Kenya Section. His leadership experience and legal expertise could play a crucial role in strengthening Kenya’s electoral process should he be appointed to lead the IEBC.
