Journey to Reconstitute IEBC Enters Crucial Phase

The process of setting up a substantive Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in Kenya is advancing as the nation anticipates the commencement of critical constitutional roles assigned to the commission. Following President William Ruto’s assent to the IEBC (Amendment) Bill on July 9, significant strides are being made to actualize one of the key recommendations of the National Dialogue Committee.

The IEBC’s reconstitution is crucial for ensuring transparent and credible elections, a necessity emphasized by various stakeholders, including politicians, human rights organizations, and the youth. The new phase of this process begins tomorrow, with high expectations that the selection panel will be finalized and ready for gazettement, marking a pivotal moment in Kenya’s electoral reform journey.

Per the amended bill, the names of the selection panel members must be submitted within 14 days of the bill’s enactment. The urgency of this timeline underscores the importance of having the panel in place promptly to begin their work. Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula highlighted the importance of this timeline, expressing optimism that the list would be ready for the President’s appointment of a chairman and subsequent gazettement by tomorrow, Tuesday.

“We hope that by the close of the week, we should have the selection panel list ready to be sent to the President to appoint a chairman out of them and gazette them not later than Tuesday so that they can start their work,” Wetang’ula stated last week.

The selection panel is mandated to consist of nine members, representing various bodies, including the Parliamentary Service Commission, Law Society of Kenya (LSK), Inter-Religious Council of Kenya, Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK), and the Political Parties Liaison Committee. These diverse representatives ensure a balanced and fair selection process, crucial for restoring public confidence in the IEBC.

Thus far, the Political Parties Liaison Committee has put forward Evans Misati representing non-parliamentary parties, Nicodemus Bore from the majority party, and Augustus Muli from the minority party. The Inter-Religious Council of Kenya has retained its previous nominees, Dr. Nelson Makanda and Fatuma Saman, while ICPAK will be represented by Tanui Andrew Kipkoech. The LSK and National Assembly Speaker are expected to submit their nominees today.

Once constituted, the selection panel will have three months to complete the recruitment exercise, culminating in forwarding the names of nominees for IEBC chairperson and commissioners to the President. The successful completion of this process will signify the fulfillment of the panel’s mandate and pave the way for a fully functional IEBC.

The urgency and necessity of properly reconstituting the IEBC have been highlighted by growing pressure from various sectors of society. Kenyans, including politicians and the Generation Z cohort, are vocal about the need for an effective electoral body. The Gen Z generation, in particular, is advocating for a mechanism to recall Members of the National Assembly who they believe have failed their constituents. This demand aligns with a broader wave of enhancing accountability in governance.

“Reconstituting the IEBC is long overdue. Some electoral units do not have representation which is unfair to them. Again, we want an avenue to recall some of our MPs if they fail to deliver on their work,” the Gen Zs have insisted.

Human rights organizations and political parties echo these sentiments, stressing the importance of expediting the IEBC’s reconstitution to ensure fair representation and accountability in Kenya’s electoral process. As the selection panel’s formation enters its crucial phase tomorrow, the nation watches with bated breath, hopeful for a reformed and robust electoral body that will uphold the democratic values of transparency and fairness.