Bell’s palsy: IEBC Selection Panel Chairperson narrates struggles with rare face paralysis condition
Before November 17, 2024, the newly appointed Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Selection Panel Nelson Makanda had a purely symmetrical face.
He retired to bed on that fateful day and woke up completely different – Makanda had a rare facial condition called Bell’s palsy.
Speaking to a local TV station on Monday, February 17, 2025, Makanda narrated that he woke on November 17, 2024 and went straight to the shower room.
However, he noticed soap was getting into his eyes. At that time, he was quite unsure what was happening to him. He later went to brush his teeth and noticed he was drooling – something he had not experienced before in his lifetime.
Concerned by the development, Makanda detailed that he took a photo of his tilted face and asked Artificial Intelligence (AI) what was the issue and the response dawned on him that he had a rare facial paralysis condition called Bell’s palsy.
“In the recent past, I have had something called Bell’s palsy, you can see a bit of a tilt on my face. I woke up one morning, three months ago November 17, 2024, I was nursing a cold and went to the bathroom then noticed soap was going into my eye as I showered.
“I went to brush my teeth and realised that I was dropping. So I quickly took my image and asked AI what is this and it told me it is Bell’s palsy,” Makanda narrated.
“So I went to church that Sunday morning then came back and told my wife what was happening. We went to the hospital later and they confirmed it was Bell’s palsy,” he added.
Doctor’s advice
After confirming that he had Bell’s palsy, the doctor informed him that it was not a permanent condition and would go away in six months.
Further, the doctors told him that he would continue working as normal but was put under medical attention.
“It is not permanent, it goes away after six months – I was told by the doctors. I inquired if should take days off, they said no.
“Continue working on physiotherapy and take meds for your nerve because it is a facial nerve that supports the symmetry of your nerve,” the doctors told Makanda.
“That nerve gets inflamed because you have a viral infection, tooth or ear infection. That time I had a cold, I travelled and came back with the flu,” he added.
Despite the condition, Makanda has continued to play his role including his recent appointment by President William Ruto to head the IEBC Selection Panel which will help in picking the next IEBC chairperson and commissioners.
“I am in my third month and it is better than it started in November and December 2024.”
Bell’s palsy
According to John Hopkins Medicine, a UK-based medical organisation, Bell’s palsy is an unexplained episode of facial muscle weakness or paralysis. It begins suddenly and can get worse over 48 hours. This condition results from damage to the facial nerve (the 7th cranial nerve). Pain and discomfort usually occur on one side of the face or head.
Bell palsy can affect anyone at any age. It occurs most often in pregnant women, and in people who have diabetes, influenza, a cold, or another upper respiratory ailment. Bell palsy affects men and women equally. It’s less common before age 15 or after age 60.
Bell palsy is not considered permanent. But in rare cases, it doesn’t disappear. Currently, there’s no known cure for Bell palsy. However, recovery usually begins 2 weeks to 6 months from the start of the symptoms.
According to the UK-based hospital organisation, most people with Bell palsy recover full facial strength and expression.
The condition is rare as it only affects 1 out of 5,000 people.
Its cause is yet to be established but it may be due to inflammation that is directed by the body’s immune system against the nerve-controlling movement of the face.
Symptoms of Bell’s palsy include drooling, headache, tearing and loss of the sense of taste on the front 2/3 of the tongue.
