The men and women who will pick next IEBC commissioners

President William Ruto has finally appointed nine members of the selection panel who will recruit commissioners of Kenya’s electoral commission.

In a Kenya Gazette Notice dated January 27, President Ruto named the four women and five men who will be tasked with the recruitment of the chairperson and commissioners of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

They are Kiome Lindah Gakii, Oloo Adams, James Evans Misati, Nicodemus Kipchirchir Bore, Koki Muli Grignon, Carolene Kituku, Tanui Andrew Kipkoech, Nelson Makanda and Fatuma Saman.

The selection panel will have 90 days to recruit the commissioners, who are expected to prepare for the country’s general election slated for August 2027.

The move comes three days after the High Court in Kiambu dismissed a petition that was stalling the appointment of the panel.

In his Monday announcement, Dr Ruto also revoked an earlier gazette notice that had appointed seven members to the panel.

The expanded list was arrived at following the negotiations through the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO), which recommended various changes to the polls agency.

The IEBC (Amendment) Act was assented to by President Ruto in July last year but the process of picking the panel was delayed by the court cases.

On Friday, Justice Dorah Chepkwony dismissed a petition filed by Boniface Njogu, who had challenged the list over ethnic composition and failure to include persons with disabilities among the panelists.

“The petitioner has advanced insufficient evidence to warrant the recruitment process be deemed to have violated the constitution,” said the judge.

Another case filed by Dr Augustus Kyalo Muli is pending hearing at the Court of Appeal, although no orders were issued stopping the formal appointment of the selection panel.

Dr Muli of the National Liberal Party moved to the appellate court late last year after High Court judge Janet Mulwa ruled that he was not eligible for appointment as his party was not a parliamentary party, and that it had no representation in the House.

Under the Political Parties Liaison Committee (PPLC), the majority coalition, the minority coalition and the non-parliamentary parties were to select one candidate each.

Mr Evans Misati was chosen to represent the non-parliamentary parties, while Mr Nicodemus Bore was chosen to represent the majority party.

For the minority coalition, Dr Augustus Muli had been elected, defeating Wiper's Dr Koki Muli in an election presided over by the IEBC.

But Dr Augustus Muli’s election was challenged and the Political Parties’ Disputes tribunal sided with him, only for the High Court to overturn the decision.

The judge said Dr Augustus Muli's National Liberal Party was not a parliamentary party as it had no representation in parliament.

Dr Nelson Makanda and Fatuma Saman, who were on the previous selection panel, were retained by the Inter-Religious Council, while Andrew Kipkoech Tanui was selected by the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya.

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has one slot and the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) has two.