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CJ Koome challenges IEBC commissioners to win public trust
Newly sworn-in IEBC Chairperson, Erastus Ethekon (left) with Chief Justice Martha Koome during the ceremony at the Supreme Court in Nairobi on July 11, 2025.
What you need to know:
- Chief Justice Martha Koome acknowledged the impact of the delay in the recruitment of the commission.
- Mr Erastus Ethekon, newly sworn-in chairperson, said he was immensely honoured by the trust placed in him.
Chief Justice Martha Koome has challenged the newly sworn in commissioners of the electoral body to urgently rebuild the public trust as they take charge of the commission.
Speaking during the swearing in ceremony of the six commissioners and chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) at the Supreme Court building, Justice Koome noted that public trust in institutions was at a “low ebb”.
“More than perhaps any other institution at this moment, the IEBC must earn the people’s trust through your conduct, decisions, and personal integrity,” said Justice Koome.
Chief Justice Martha Koome speaks during the swearing-in ceremony of the new IEBC Commissioners at the Supreme Court in Nairobi on July 11, 2025.
Chief Justice Koome said the people of Kenya were watching and expect a commission that will deliver an electoral process that is peaceful, credible, transparent, and verifiable.
“This is your constitutional mandate and your historic responsibility,” Koome said.
“The country is crying out for integrity, transparency, accountability, and justice. It is against this backdrop that your mandate acquires even greater significance. Our democracy must rest on a strong foundation, and you are now its stewards,” the Chief Justice added.
In her remarks, she also acknowledged the impact of the delay in the recruitment of the commission.
“As a result, several critical processes were stalled, posing risks to the health of our democracy,” she said.
Directly addressing the newly appointed Commission, she noted: “Now that the Commission has been reconstituted, I urge you to move with speed to discharge the pending constitutional and administrative tasks and to begin timely preparations for the 2027 General Elections.”
The swearing-in took place after a long period of uncertainty for the IEBC, which had struggled with a lack of commissioners, insufficient funding, and the absence of registration officers.
Erastus Ethekon takes his oath during the swearing-in of the new IEBC Commissioners at the Supreme Court in Nairobi on July 11, 2025.
Mr Erastus Edung Ethekon, newly sworn-in chairperson, said he was immensely honoured by the trust placed in him to lead the key institution – “one that lies at the heart of our democracy”.
The commissioners are Ann Njeri Nderitu, Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor Hassan, Francis Odhiambo Aduol, and Fahima Araphat Abdallah, who will serve as the commission for a term of six years.
Mr Ethekon briefly referred to the legal struggle that preceded the commission’s appointment and thanked the judiciary for affirming its legality.
“Today marks the beginning of our service to the people of Kenya. We must approach this sacred duty, therefore, with the urgency, integrity, and absolute commitment guided by our constitution and the laws of the republic. But more importantly, guided by the expectations of every Kenyan,” he said.
He challenged Kenyans saying they must show up, must engage, must vote, and participate in ensuring that the commission does its job well.
