Eleven candidates have been shortlisted for the interview for the Chairperson position while 105 have been shortlisted for the Commissioners at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
The recruitment panel for the IEBC nominees today released the names of the shortlisted candidates and the dates of their scheduled interviews.
The Oral interviews are scheduled to take place at the Ballroom of the college of insurance in South C Nairobi.
The candidates for the Chairperson position will appear before the panel between March 24 and 26, while those who have been shortlisted for the electoral Commission’s Member will be interviewed between March 27 and April 24, 2025.
“The oral interviews shall be held in the Ballroom at the College of Insurance, South C, Nairobi County. The interview shall be conducted in public,” Chairperson of the selection panel for recruitment of nominees for appointment as Chairperson and Members of IEBC Nelson Makanda said in the notice.
The candidates shall be required to bring their original National Identity Cards or passports and original testimonial certificates, which shall be returned to them after the interviews.
Makanda also directed them to carry valid clearance certificates from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Commission for University Education (CUE), and any certificate for the Credit Reference Bureau.
The public has also been invited to submit any information of interest in respect to the suitability of the various applicants.
“Members of the public are invited to avail in writing under oath by Memoranda, any information of interest with respect to the suitability of any of the shortlisted candidates to serve as Chairperson or Member of IEBC through iebcselectionpanel2025@parliamnet.go.ke or physically while sealed between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm to the chairperson or member of the selection panel,” Makanda directed.
The panel indicated an addendum of two applicants for the Chairperson position and 26 for the Commissioners whose interview dates were not included.
Makanda stated that the additional people had applied within the set deadline of February 15.
“Pursuant to paragraph (1) of the First Schedule to the IEBC Act and the Gazette Notice No. 715 of 27th January, 2025, the Selection Panel hereby publishes an addendum to the said publication of 6th March, 2025, of applicants for the positions of Chairperson and Members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, being persons who applied within the deadline of Saturday, 15th February, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. (East African Time),” he said in the notice.
Among the candidates shortlisted for the interview of the IEBC Chairperson are Former East African Court of Justice Judge Charles Nyachae, former Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Anne Amadi, and Former Nairobi City County Assembly Clerk Jacob Ngwele.
Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) Board Chairperson Joy Brenda Masinde-Mdivo has also been shortlisted for the interview.
The IEBC offices have been vacant since January 2023 when the former IEBC Chairperson, the late Wafula Chebukati (recently deceased), and his team left office after the expiry of their term, though other commissioners had resigned during the 2022 poll while another was removed.
The new team will have a full in-tray ranging from conducting by-elections, reviewing electoral boundaries, and kick starting key preparations for the 2027 General Election