The nation inches closer to a new era of electoral leadership as the Selection Panel overseeing the recruitment of the next Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) boss and six new commissioners concluded an intense month-long interview marathon today.
In what has been described as one of the most watched public vetting exercises in recent history, all eyes were on the 11 candidates shortlisted for the powerful IEBC Chairperson post. The interviews began on March 24th and concluded by March 26th, with the country anxiously analyzing every move, word, and promise from the hopefuls aiming to steer Kenya’s electoral ship.
Panel Chairperson Dr. Nelson Makanda addressed the media shortly after the final interviews wrapped up today. He confirmed that all 11 Chairperson candidates turned up for the grilling sessions, while 107 out of the 111 shortlisted for commissioner slots braved the hot seat between March 27 and April 25.
“This has been a rigorous process grounded in constitutional integrity and full public participation. We thank Kenyans for their vigilance and the media for being the vital bridge in this journey,” said Dr. Makanda, hinting at the enormous pressure the panel has been under to deliver a credible and transparent outcome.
Behind closed doors, however, political tremors have been shaking the landscape, with whispers that State House operatives and opposition figures alike are keenly lobbying to have their “preferred picks” make the final cut. Sources familiar with the process say the panel has received pressure to balance regional, gender, and political interests — even as they publicly maintain impartiality.
Now that the vetting process is over, the real political drama begins.
The Selection Panel is expected to retreat for closed-door deliberations before forwarding two names for the position of Chairperson and nine for commissioner slots to President William Ruto. From these, the President will nominate one Chairperson and six commissioners and send their names to Parliament for vetting.
Kenyans are watching closely, wary of a repeat of past electoral commissions whose credibility was questioned and whose tenures were rocked by allegations of bias, electoral malpractices, and internal implosions.
The next IEBC team will not only have the monumental task of steering the country toward the 2027 General Election but will also be expected to handle pending boundary reviews, the digitization of voter records, and a highly charged political environment.
Will this new team restore public confidence or become another statistic in Kenya’s tumultuous electoral history?
The countdown to one of the most consequential appointments in the country’s democratic journey has officially begun.
