President Ruto Declares Vacancies for IEBC Chairperson and Five Commissioners

President Ruto has declared six vacancies at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) pending the hearing and determination of a case against suspended Commissioner Irene Masit.

Through a Gazette Notice dated February 14th, 2023, the president declared vacancies in the positions of IEBC Chairperson and five commissioners.

Three of the positions fell vacant following the retirement of former Chairperson Wafula Chebukati and commissioners Boya Molu and Abdi Guliye whose six-year non-renewable terms expired last month.

The other three posts were left vacant after Commissioners Juliana Cherera, Justus Nyangáya and Francis Wanderi resigned last year after President Ruto suspended them and appointed a tribunal to investigate their conduct in the last general election.

Last month, President Ruto signed the IEBC (Amendment) Bill 2022 into law, paving the way for the formation of a seven-member selection panel to recruit the new commissioners.

The law allocates two slots each to the Parliamentary Service Commission and the Inter-Religious Council, while the Public Service Commission, the Political Parties Liaison Committee and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) will nominate one member each to the panel.