President William Ruto has appointed a seven-member selection panel to recruit the next Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson and six commissioners.
In a gazette notice dated February 27, the President appointed Bethuel Sugut, Charity Kisotu, Evans Misati James, Benson Ngugi, Nelson Makanda, Fatuma Saman and Novince Euralia Atieno as members of the selection panel.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 7A of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act. 2011 (the Act), as read with Paragraph 1 (2) of the First Schedule to the Act. I. William Samoei Ruto, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces appoint (List) to be members of the Selection Panel for the Recruitment of Nominees for Appointment as the Chairperson and Members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission,” the gazette notice reads.
The appointment follows the Justice Aggrey Muchelule led tribunal’s recommendation to have suspended IEBC commissioner Irene Masit removed from the commission.
The tribunal was formed by the Head of State to probe the conduct of ex-IEBC vice chairperson Juliana Cherera, commissioners Francis Wanderi, Jusus Nyangaya and Masit during last year’s general election.
The four were accused of attempting to subvert the will of the people by disowning the presidential election results announced by ex-IEBC chairperson Wafula Chebukati.
Cherera, Wanderi and Nyang’aya opted to resign from the commission rather than face the tribunal.
The tribunal in a report to President Ruto yesterday stated that it found Masit guilty of gross misconduct and violation of the constitution.
Last month, the President signed the IEBC (Ammendment) Bill 2022 into law which set on course the formation of the selection panel to recruit new commissioners.
The Selection Panel features representatives of the Parliamentary Service Commission, the Public Service Commission (PSC), the Political Parties Liaison Committee (PPLC), the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), and the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya.
