Over 700 Kenyans Apply for Vacant Posts of Four IEBC Commissioners

Over 700 Kenyans have applied for the four vacant positions in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Dr. Elizabeth Muli, Chairperson of the IEBC selection panel, said the window of receiving applications for the posts elapsed on Monday.

Addressing the press on Tuesday, Dr. Muli said the six-member panel will collate the applications before publishing the names of shortlisted candidates next week.

“The last day for receiving applications was yesterday…over 700 applications were received. We will commence the shortlisting and publish the names by Monday,” said Muli.

Members of the selection panel, which was appointed by President Kenyatta, were sworn in on April 28th, 2021.

They include Dr. Muli, Gideon Solonka, Awori James, Elizabeth Meyo, Dorothy Kimengech, Rev. Joseph Ngumbi, and Dr. Faradim Abdalla.

On April 16th, President Kenyatta declared vacancies in the positions of four IEBC commissioners.

The four positions were left vacant following the resignation of IEBC Vice-Chairperson Consolata Nkatha and Commissioners Margaret Mwachanya, Paul Kurgat, and Roselyn Akombe.

Nkatha, Mwachanya, and Kurgat announced their resignation in a joint media briefing on April 16th, 2018, citing a lack of confidence in IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati.

On the other hand, Akombe fled the country to the US from where she announced her resignation on October 18th, 2017, saying she feared for her life after receiving multiple threats. This came a week before the October 26th, 2017 repeat presidential election.

The resignation of the four left the commission with only three members—Chebukati and Commissioners Boya Molu and Abdi Yakub Guliye.