A majority of Kenyans believe that the process to select the next leadership of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission was not fair.

A report by TIFA that was released on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, shows that a total of 55 per cent of Kenyans are not confident that the vetting process of the IEBC candidates was merit-based.

This, TIFA says, revealed a serious legitimacy deficit for the commission and the appointing authorities.

”Overall, a majority (55%) of Kenyans are not confident that the vetting has been merit-based, revealing a serious legitimacy deficit for the commission and the appointing authorities,” the report reads in part.

Credibility of past elections

The report further states that public confidence in the IEBC vetting process is likely influenced by how individuals perceive the credibility of past elections.

”The data clearly shows that public confidence in the IEBC vetting process is strongly influenced by how individuals perceive the credibility of past elections. Those who believe previous elections were fair tend to trust the current process, while those who view past elections as flawed express deep scepticism,” the report read.

Kalonzo’s letter to Ruto

This comes just a day after Wiper Democratic Movement Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka formally wrote to President William Ruto expressing concerns about the report that was handed to him by the Nelson Makanda-led selection panel.

Kalonzo, in the letter dated Tuesday, May 6, 2025, urged strict adherence to the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) recommendations on the appointment of the new IEBC chairperson and commissioners.

”We note that today you received the report of the panel charged with the responsibility of recruitment of persons to be considered for the position of chairperson and members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (EBC). The law requires that the panel shall submit nine names for consideration of the appointment of six commissioners and two names for the appointment of the chairperson of the commission,” the introductory part of the letter read.

”You will recall that the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) (hereafter the “committee”) report was established through resolutions by the National and Senate Assemblies on the 19th of August and 29th of August 2023, respectively, and adopted on the 24th of February 2024.

“The report followed the decision to move the country forward after the post-2022 election conflict through bipartisan talks bringing together the Kenya Kwanza Alliance and the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition. The committee was mandated to facilitate dialogue and consensus building as well as recommend appropriate constitutional, legal policy, and administrative reforms on issues of concern to Kenya,” the letter continued.

Kalonzo emphasised that the process of appointing new IEBC leadership must not be a unilateral exercise by the Kenya Kwanza Alliance or any single party.

In his letter, the former vice president argues that the process must involve comprehensive consultations and concurrence between both the ruling coalition and the opposition.