Lawyer Kigen withdraws his IEBC member candidacy

By and , April 11, 2025

Prominent lawyer Katwa Kigen has withdrawn his candidacy for commissioner of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Kigen (pictured), who was part of President William Ruto’s legal team at the International Criminal Court, cited concerns about diverting attention from the commission’s critical role to his presence in the electoral agency.

His candidacy had raised  eyebrows among Kenyans who viewed him as Ruto’s ally, with lawyer Nelson Havi and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka questioning whether the IEBC could maintain fairness and integrity if he were appointed.

Though news of his withdrawal from the race broke yesterday, a member of the selection panel’s secretariat intimated to People Daily that Kigen submitted his letter to the panel on Friday last week.

Meanwhile, former Independent Policing Oversight Authority vice-chairman Joseph Lodompui surprised the selection panel with controversial comments about “suppressing” media during elections.

When asked about promoting media accountability following accusations of biased coverage during the 2007 elections, Lodompui suggested IEBC should “suppress” radio stations and other outlets.

Position challenged

Panel member Fatuma Saman immediately challenged this position, noting it would amount to muzzling the media and denying the public’s right to information.

Lodompui responded: “Suppressing democratically will mean something else. It should be an open dialogue where everybody has a space which is prudently utilized by all. However, it is important to watch and be your brother’s keeper.”

Another panellist, Adams Oloo, questioned the legal basis for such censorship, pointing out that access to vernacular stations is a constitutional right.

Lodompui attempted to clarify that he meant creating dialogue with media houses and developing guidelines on appropriate content, blaming the IEBC’s weak communication strategy for misinformation during the 2022 elections.

Another candidate, Ministry of Education official John Kilonzo, highlighted campaign finance regulation issues, noting the IEBC failed to declare campaign spending in recent elections.

He emphasised the need for consistent enforcement of existing laws to prevent wealthy candidates from buying their way into office despite lacking competence.

Kilonzo also suggested the IEBC improve youth outreach through social media platforms like Facebook, X, and TikTok, proposing the commission hire content creators to engage young voters.

State of emergency

However, when asked about Kenya’s colonial history, he admitted not knowing when the state of emergency was proclaimed.

Kilonzo noted that challenges in reconstituting the IEBC according to legal timelines must be addressed, as the commission needs proper oversight of the secretariat to prevent potential misconduct.

“The IEBC Act says that the appointment of commissioners should be done six months prior to the exit of the incumbent,” he said.

“What are these bottlenecks that have made impeded the reconstitution of the agency?”

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