Ruto nominates Erastus Ethekon for appointment as IEBC chairperson

Arnold Ngure 08th May, 2025 07:38 PM

Erastus Edung Ethekon during his interview for the chairperson of the IEBC. Screengrab by k24 Digital

President William Ruto on Thursday, May 8, 2025, nominated Erastus Edung Ethekon for appointment as the new Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

In a statement from the State House, Ruto also nominated six commissioners out of the nine he received from the IEBC selection panel to be appointed in the electoral body.

“It is notified that His Excellency the President, pursuant to Article 250(2)(b) of the Constitution and the procedures set out in Sections 5(4) and 7 of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act (Chapter 7C, Laws of Kenya), has made nominations to the membership of the Commission,” the statement read in part.

“This presidential action follows the recommendations of the selection panel on the recruitment of nominees for the positions of Chairperson and Members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, as transmitted on Tuesday, 6th May 2025. “

Recommendations

“In its submission, the selection panel recommended two candidates for the position of Chairperson and nine candidates for consideration to fill six positions of Member of the Commission. Arising from these recommendations, the Head of State has nominated the following individuals for appointment as stated:

Chairperson: Erastus Edung Ethekon, and Anne Njeri Nderitu, Moses Alutalala, Mary Sorobit, Hassan Noor Hassan, Francis Aduol and Fahima Abdallah as IEBC commissioners.”

The nomination comes after a protracted interview period, which saw the IEBC selection panel assess 11 candidates for the position of chairperson and dozens of other candidates for the position of commissioners.

Surprise candidate

On Tuesday, May 6, 2025, the IEBC selection panel chairperson, Nelson Makanda, forwarded a list of two top candidates for the position of IEBC chairperson for action from the president.

At the time, speculations were rife that the former registrar of the Judiciary, Anne Amadi or the former judge at the East African Court of Justice, Charles Nyachae, were the front runners for the top job.

However, the 48-year-old Turkana County-born lawyer Ethekon has emerged from the pack and is poised to take charge of the commission, with two years to the 2027 general elections.

Ethekon holds three master’s degrees from the United Kingdom and Spain. Before his nomination for appointment to the IEBC, he was the county Attorney for Turkana County.

Eyes now turn on the National Assembly, whose members are on a month-long recess, to ratify the six commissioners and the chairperson, and set the ball rolling in preparation for the 2027 elections and handle by-elections in the country.