Parliament will begin vetting nominees for the IEBC chairperson and commissioners on Saturday, following a court decision.
The National Assembly’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee is set to vet the seven nominees for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) positions on Saturday, May 31, 2025. This follows a High Court ruling that allowed the vetting to continue but barred any appointments or swearing-in until a legal challenge is resolved.
In a public notice issued on Friday, May 30, Clerk of the National Assembly Samwel Njoroge confirmed the vetting will take place in the Mini Chamber, located on the first floor of County Hall, Parliament Buildings. The session will start at 9:30 a.m.
The notice, made in accordance with Article 118(1)(b) of the Constitution and Section 6(4) of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, advised nominees to bring their original identification documents, academic and professional certificates, and other supporting materials.
Additionally, each nominee must present clearance certificates from several state agencies, including the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Kenya Revenue Authority, Higher Education Loans Board, Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, and the Credit Reference Bureau.
The scheduled vetting order begins with Erastus Edung Ethekon at 9:30 a.m. He is followed by Anne Nderitu at 10:30 a.m. and Moses Mukhwana at 11:30 a.m. Mary Sorobit will appear before the committee at 12:30 p.m., while Hassan Noor and Francis Aduol are scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., respectively. The final nominee, Fahima Abdalla, will be vetted at 4:30 p.m.
Although the vetting is going ahead, Justice Lawrence Mugambi has ruled that Parliament cannot proceed with the formal appointment or swearing-in of the nominees. This is pending the conclusion of a legal case filed by two voters who are challenging the nomination process.
The outcome of the vetting and the ongoing court case will be key in determining the future leadership of the electoral commission.
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