The process to fill four vacant positions at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) begins today with 36 shortlisted candidates expected to face the selection panel. 

The panel chaired by Elizabeth Muli will oversee the exercise to pick the new commissioners to be held between today and July 22 at the Kenya International Conference Centre (KICC), as the commission restructures ahead of next year’s polls. 

Muli’s panel will have to grapple with interests and intrigues that characterise the search for individuals fit to sit and steer and prepare for next year’s  General Election with integrity and impartiality top of the list.

Shortlisted candidates 

The 36 shortlisted candidates include human rights defenders, former members of the constitutional commissions and university dons.

The positions fell vacant after the resignation of commissioner Roselyne Akombe in 2017, former Vice-Chairperson Cornie Nkatha Maina and commissioners Paul Kurgat and Margaret Mwachanya in 2018. 

Abdalla Mohamed will be the first to take the hot seat from 9:30am as he seeks to convince the panel on why they should approve him. 

After the first recess Dr Abdirizak Arale Nunow will be on the spotlight from 11.30 am, with Anne Mwikali Kiusya wrapping up the first day of the oral interviews at 2pm. 

Tomorrow, Caroline Njeri Ng’ang’a will kick off the exercise from 9.30 am followed by Dr Catherine Muchiru Kamindo at 11.30 am with Cecilia Ngoyoni closing the same at 2pm 

Among the high-profile names include Murshid Abdalla, four-time commissioner who narrowly lost the race for Data Commissioner to Immaculate Kassait, last year.

Murshid was commissioner at the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC), which had replaced the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK).