President William Ruto on Thursday nominated Erastus Edung Ethekon, a former Turkana County lawyer, to chair the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
The latest development brings the more than two-year wait for a new electoral body a step closer to an end.
Mr Ethekon, if approved by the National Assembly, will replace Wafula Chebukati, who exited the electoral body in January 2023 at the end of a six-year term and died in February 2025.
The Head of State also nominated Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu, Moses Mukhwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor Hassan, Francis Odhiambo Aduol and Fahima Araphat Abdallah as commissioners.
The six-year non-renewable term of Mr Chebukati and two commissioners — Mr Boya Molu and Abdi Guliye — ended in January 2023.
Three other commissioners—Vice-Chairperson Juliana Cherera, Justus Nyangaya and Francis Wanderi—opted to resign rather than face a tribunal that was established to investigate their conduct immediately after the August 9, 2022 General Election.
However, Ms Irene Masit, who opted to face the tribunal, was removed by President Ruto following the recommendation of the team.
But who are the seven new officials who will now take charge of the country’s electoral system if approved by the National Assembly?
IEBC chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon.
Photo credit: Nation Media Group
Mr Ethekon served as Turkana County Attorney between 2018 and 2024 and has been a consultant partner at the Northern Consulting Solution and E.Ethekon and Co Advocates since 2004.
Between 2007 and 2015, the 48-year-old served as programmes management specialist at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Mr Ethekon holds a Master’s degree in Oil, Gas and Energy Law from the University of Derby in the United Kingdom, a Master of Science degree in Project Management from the University of Liverpool and a Master of Arts degree in Peace, Conflict and Development Studies from the University of Jaume I in Valencia, Spain.
Locally, he completed his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi in 2001 before proceeding for a post-graduate diploma from the Kenya School of Law.
He also holds a post graduate certificate in implementation of international human rights treaties from the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom.
He has also served as programme coordinator and chief technical adviser on area-based development programing in Kenya (UNRCO) between 2018 and 2018.
Ms Ann Nderitu.
Photo credit: Nation Media Group
Ann Nderitu is the Registrar of Political Parties in Kenya having assumed the office in 2018. She is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Accounting Officer of the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP).
She is an experienced public service professional with specialisation in public administration; elections management and governance spanning over 24 years.
She holds a Bachelor of Education (English/Literature), Master’s Degree in Linguistics, Diploma in Public Administration and an honorary Doctorate in Corporate Governance among other certifications. Currently she is a PhD student in Organisational Leadership.
Ms Nderitu has also served in national taskforces, among them teams on education system reforms, electoral legal reforms, boundaries de-limitation, political parties nomination framework and the two-thirds gender principle.
Ms Nderitu’s contribution in leadership and promotion of good governance has been recognised through three Presidential Awards – Moran of Burning Spear, Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear and Trail Blazer Award for Women Leadership and Inclusion.
Moses Atulala Mukhwana.
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Dr Alutalala Mukhwana is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya and the founder of Alutalala Mukhwana & Company Advocates as serves in the presidential taskforce for addressing human resource for health.
He holds a doctorate degree in global management from SMA Swiss management academy in Switzerland, a Masters of Business Administration from the same institution and Bachelor of Laws Degree (LLB) from the University of Nairobi.
Dr Mukhwana also has expertise in Commercial, Civil, and Criminal Litigation and is a media commentator on governance matters and the lead attorney and managing partner at Alutalala Mukhwana & Company Advocates.
He is a member of the council and chairperson, audit and governance committee at the South Eastern Kenya university.
Mary Karen Sorobit.
Photo credit: Nation Media Group
She holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi and a post graduate diploma in law from the Kenya school of law.
Ms Sorobit practices law at Robson Harris and Company Advocates and served in the Jubilee Party Secretariat between 2017 and 2021.
She also served as assisting counsel of the Judges and Magistrates vetting board and deputy secretary/CEO (compliance and ethics) and secretary to advocates disciplinary committee at the law society of Kenya.
She has vast training in dispute resolution, ethics and compliance, company secretarial matters and audits.
Hassan Noor Hassan.
Photo credit: Nation Media Group
He is a long-serving provincial administrator. He unsuccessfully contested the Mandera County governorship in the 2022 elections having served as chief administrative secretary for Sports, culture and heritage and Technical Education under President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.
Mr Noor holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and political science from the University of Nairobi.
He started his career as a district officer cadet, rising through the ranks. He became a District Commissioner, a deputy Provincial Commissioner and a Provincial Commissioner.
He also served as director of administration in the defunct ministry of local government then moved to the Ministry of Planning, National Development and Devolution as secretary of administration and promotion.
He is a member of African Public Administration and Management Society as well as Kenya Public Administration and Management Society and Centre of Institute for Civil Defence and Disaster Studies of the UK,
He holds a Master’s degree in International Studies and Diplomacy from Washington International University through correspondence.
Francis Odhiambo Aduol.
Photo credit: Nation Media Group
He is a former Vice-Chancellor of the Technical University of Kenya (TUK), who served between 2013 and May 2023, and currently serves as a professor in the school of Surveying and Spatial Science at the institution.
Between 2009 and 2010, he was a consultant with the Interim, Independent Boundaries Review Commission and United Nations Development Programme.
He holds a Doctor of Engineering degree in Geodesy from the University of Stuttgart in Germany, a Masters of Arts in economics from the University of Nairobi, Masters of Science degree in surveying and Bachelor of Science degree in engineering (Surveying and Photogrammetry) from the same institution.
Ms Fahima Araphat Abdallah.
Photo credit: Nation Media Group
Aged 32, Ms Abdallah holds a Masters of Arts degree in Project Planning and Management from the University of Nairobi, Bachelor of commerce degree in accounting from Kenyatta University as well as Diploma in Investment Advice at the chartered institute of securities and investment.
She is currently a member of the Lamu County Assembly service board, a part-time facilitator at the institute of corporate governance and Africa institute of devolution.
She also served as County Executive Committee member for lands, infrastructure, finance, trade investment, agriculture, fisheries and water in Lamu between 2017 and 2022.
Initially, she was a Ward administrator, Shella Ward in Lamu between 2014 and 2017.
