Opposition leaders set to form people’s IEBC to mirror official commission
Opposition leaders have continued to voice their rejection of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) list of nominees.
In a statement on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, the opposition leaders announced plans to establish a people’s IEBC. The leaders explained that it will function as a watchdog, which will mirror the duties played by the official electoral commission.
They noted that the people’s IEBC will help promote transparency in the 2027 polls.
“We will not sit back and watch the subversion of democracy. We are taking immediate steps to establish a People’s IEBC—a citizen-led watchdog that will mirror the official commission and hold it to the highest standards of transparency, integrity, and constitutionalism as envisioned in Article 10 on national values and the principles of good governance,” the statement signed by Kalonzo Musyoka, Rigathi Gachagua, Martha Karua, Justin Muturi and Fred Matiang’i read in part.
Full report
At the same time, the opposition leaders asked President William Ruto to release the full report presented to him by the panel.
“We demand the immediate and full publication of the Selection Panel’s exit report and all Hansard records that the public can scrutinise on the criteria the selection panel used to recommend the 6 nominees of the commission,” read the statement in part.
The statement shared by Kalonzo on his X handle further accused Ruto of picking his favourite to favour their side in the 2027 polls, citing conflicts of interest surrounding some nominees and members of the IEBC panel.
“This is not a commission for the people. It is a project designed to rig the next election in broad daylight, with the silent approval of his newfound ally, Hon. Raila Odinga.”
Nominees
Ruto nominated Erastus Edung Ethekon as the new Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. Subject to Parliamentary approval, Ethekon – the former Turkana County Attorney – is now set to replace the late former IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati, who died in February 2025.
Ruto also nominated six IEBC Commissioners from various regions, among them Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu (Nyandarua).
The others are: Moses Alutalala Mukhwana (Kakamega), Mary Karen Sorobit (Uasin Gishu), Hassan Noor Hassan (Mandera), Francis Odhiambo Aduol (Kisumu), and Fahima Araphat Abdallah (Lamu).
