Ruto to gazette IEBC selection panel next week

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) selection panel members will be gazetted by Tuesday next week to kick-start the process of recruiting new commissioners, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has said.

Wetangula (pictured) said that all bodies mandated to second names to the panel are expected to do so by Friday this week to allow for the processing of the names for the gazettement next week.

“We expect to have all names by the close of the week and send to the President for gazettement by Tuesday,” said Wetangula. Addressing journalists at the Parliament Building in his office yesterday, the Speaker held that the panel should be in place within 14 days after the President signed the IEBC (Amendment) Bill, 2023 into law.

The move comes against the backdrop of jostling for the nomination to the panel that will midwife the birth of new set of the Electoral commissioners after a long absence of the commissioners.

People Daily has established High Court Advocate Janet Nduku Muema fronted by Chama Cha Uzalendo (CCU) Party, is likely to emerge as the nominee under the Political Parties Liaison Committee (PPLC).  “Given the mandate to represent political parties in the IEBC selection panel, I will advocate for transparency, fairness and selection of the IEBC Commissioners on merit. I will ensure that merited Kenyans of high ethical and professional standards are selected in a fair, honest and transparent process,” said Muema who is seeking the selection panel slot to represent political parties.

 Muema will be battling out against Ambassador Koki Muli  fronted by Wiper Democratic Party, Dr Augustus Muli pushed by National Labour Party (NLP) and lawyer Ndegwa Njiru fronted by the Jubilee Party for only one position under Azimio.