President William Ruto has nominated Erastus Edung Ethekon as the new chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). This nomination follows the recommendations of the IEBC Selection Panel, which submitted its report to the President on May 6, 2025.
Ethekon, hailing from Turkana County, brings a wealth of academic and professional experience to the role. He holds a Master of Laws (LL.M) in Oil, Gas & Energy Law from the University of Derby (2016), a Master of Science (MSc) in Project Management from the University of Liverpool (2013), and a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Peace, Conflict & Development Studies from Universidad Jaume I in Spain (2012). Additionally, he earned a Postgraduate Certificate in the Implementation of International Human Rights Treaties from the University of Nottingham in 2007, a Postgraduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law (2003), and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from the University of Nairobi (2001).
In the same announcement, President Ruto nominated six individuals to serve as IEBC commissioners:
Ann Njeri Nderitu (Registrar of Political Parties)
Moses Alutalala Mukhwana
Mary Karen Sorobit
Hassan Noor Hassan
Francis Odhiambo Aduol
Fahima Araphat Abdallah
These nominations have been forwarded to the National Assembly for vetting and approval, in accordance with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act and the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act.
The reconstitution of the IEBC is a significant step toward restoring the commission’s full functionality, which has been pending since the departure of former chair Wafula Chebukati and other commissioners. President Ruto has urged Parliament to prioritize the consideration of these nominations to ensure the commission is fully operational ahead of upcoming electoral processes.
