Kenya National Civil Society Centre ((KNCSC) yesterday called on President William Ruto to put on hold the recruitment of the chairperson and six Commissioners of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

In a statement to newsrooms, the lobby group said the recruiting process should be put on hold until a broad consensus on the desired constitutional and legal reforms on the procedure of recruiting the election management body is attained.

“With a significant segment of key stakeholders not only disagreeing with the fundamentals of the election management body as defined in the Constitution, and the procedure to be used in the appointment of its chairperson and members as evidenced in the ongoing public campaigns in which the process of appointment of IEBC commissioners is one of the issues in contention,” a statement from KNCSC Executive Director Suba Churchill reads.

Churchill said the role an incumbent President plays in the appointment of IEBC Chairperson and members has failed to inspire public trust and confidence in the election management body.

The KNCSC Executive Director is now calling on the President Ruto-led Kenya Kwanza coalition to reach out to the opposition and other stakeholders with a view to generating consensus on any desirable constitutional and legal reforms that can secure the establishment of an election management body perceived by all to be independent.

“Significant to note is the fact that the governing coalition has decided to carry on with the recruitment process to fill the vacancies in the IEBC as if there are no grievances being expressed, displaying a cavalier attitude that those expressing strong misgivings about the process after their proposals to amend the law were rejected by the majority in Parliament do not matter,” Churchill adds.

President William  Ruto last Tuesday declared the six positions vacant.