The selection process for Kenya’s next Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson has entered its final phase, with interviews for the shortlisted candidates kicking off on Monday, March 24, 2025. The seat has remained vacant for over two years following the exit of the late Wafula Chebukati.
The selection panel, led by Dr. Nelson Makanda, is conducting interviews for 11 candidates who made it through the rigorous shortlisting process. Among those appearing before the panel on Monday are Abdulqadir Lorot Ramadhan, former Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Anne Atieno Amadi, former East African Court of Justice judge Charles Ayako Nyachae, and Edward Katama Ngeywa.
The process will continue on Tuesday, March 25, with interviews for Erastus Edung Ethekon, Francis Kakai Kissinger, Jacob Ngwele Muvengei, and Joy Brenda Masinde-Mdivo. The final batch of candidates Lillian Wanjiku Manegene (Kirinyaga), Robert Akumu Asembo (Busia), and Saul Simiyu Wasilwa (Bungoma) will face the panel on Wednesday, March 26.
The selection process began with 37 candidates expressing interest in the top electoral body position before the list was narrowed down to the current 11 contenders. The successful candidate will take over leadership of the IEBC at a crucial time, as Kenya prepares for future electoral processes and reforms aimed at strengthening democracy.
Following the conclusion of the chairperson’s selection, attention will turn to the vacant IEBC commissioners’ positions, with interviews scheduled to start on Thursday, March 28, and run until April 24. A total of 105 candidates have been shortlisted for the six commissioner positions, including 32 women.
The appointment of a new IEBC leadership is expected to bring much-needed stability to the electoral body, which has faced challenges in recent years, including credibility concerns and internal divisions. The new chairperson and commissioners will be tasked with overseeing electoral reforms, enhancing public trust, and ensuring free, fair, and transparent elections in the country.
With the interviews now in their final stretch, all eyes are on the selection panel as they make a crucial decision that will shape Kenya’s electoral future.
