The National Assembly has approved the nomination for the appointment of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson, Erastus Ethekon and six other commissioners.

The Wednesday, June 4, 2025, approval comes after the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) issued a green light on the IEBC chairperson and the commissioners and submitted their names for approval by the plenary.

“Taking into consideration the findings of the departmental committee for Justice and Legal Affairs in its report on the vetting of the nominees for appointment as chairperson and members of the IEBC, laid on the table on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, and pursuant to the provisions of Article 252 (b) of the constitution, the National Assembly approves the appointment of the following persons to the IEBC: Erastus Edung Ethekon- Chairperson, Anne Nderitu Njeri,  Moses Alutalala, Mary Sorobit, Hassan Noor Hassan, Francis Aduol and Fahima Abdallah as members,” Wetang’ula stated.

JLAC approval

On Tuesday, June 3, 2025, JLAC approved the appointments of the seven individuals and recommended that the National Assembly equally consider their approval.

“Pursuant to the provisions of Article 252(b) of the Constitution, the committee approves the appointment of Ethekon as the chairperson and Ms Nderitu, Mukwhana, Ms Sorobit, Hassan, Aduol, and Ms Abdallah,” JLAC chairperson and Tharaka MP George Murugara said.

The seven names had been presented to the parliamentary committee by President William Ruto on May 8, 2025, just two days after receiving two nominees for the position of chairperson of the IEBC and 9 nominees for the position of commissioners.

At the time, speculations were rife that the former registrar of the Judiciary, Anne Amadi or the former judge at the East African Court of Justice, Charles Nyachae, were the front runners for the top job.

Erastus Ethekon

However, the 48-year-old Turkana County-born lawyer Ethekon emerged from the pack when Ruto nominated him to take charge of the commission, with two years to the 2027 general elections

“In its submission, the selection panel recommended two candidates for the position of Chairperson and nine candidates for consideration to fill six positions of Member of the Commission. Arising from these recommendations, the Head of State has nominated the following individuals for appointment as stated:

Chairperson: Erastus Edung Ethekon, Anne Njeri Nderitu, Moses Alutalala, Mary Sorobit, Hassan Noor Hassan, Francis Aduol and Fahima Abdallah as IEBC commissioners,” Ruto noted in May 2025.

The IEBC has been without commissioners since 2023 after the contracts of the remaining commissioners, Boya Molu and Abdi Guliye, expired alongside that of the late chairperson, Wafula Chebukati.

While Irene Masit, a former commissioner of the IEBC, was removed by a tribunal, her counterparts Justus Nyang’aya, Juliana Cherera and Francis Wanderi left the commission after the acrimonious presidential election of 2022.