William Ruto Re-Appoints IEBC Chairperson, 6 Commissioners after High Court Ruling
- President William Ruto has reappointed Erastus Ethekon as IEBC chair after the High Court nullified his earlier move over timing violations
- The High Court had ruled the initial gazette notice illegal, not for who was picked, but for ignoring interim orders that barred the appointments
- To comply, Ruto issued fresh notices on July 10, formally naming Ethekon and six commissioners to serve a single six-year term
- The reconstituted IEBC is now expected to take shape swiftly, as Kenya readies itself for a tense 2027 election cycle
Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
President William Ruto has re-appointed Erastus Edung Ethekon as Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), alongside six commissioners.
Source: UGC
The head of state made the announcement through a fresh gazette notice issued on the evening of Thursday, July 10.
The move follows a High Court ruling that nullified the initial appointments made on June 10, citing non-compliance with interim court orders.
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The court had found that while the nomination process itself was lawful, the gazettment of the appointments had breached conservatory orders that were still in effect at the time.
Consequently, Gazette Notices No. 7724 and 7725, through which Ethekon and the six commissioners had initially been appointed, were quashed.
In their ruling, the judges emphasised that the problem lay not in the identities or qualifications of the appointees, but in the manner and timing of the appointment process.
They directed the head of state to regularise the process by issuing new gazette notices in compliance with the court’s directive.
This legal clarification provided a pathway for Ruto to reappoint the IEBC team, clearing the procedural hurdle that had cast uncertainty over the commission’s leadership.
Did Ruto make fresh appointments?
By acting swiftly, the president appears keen to ensure that the country’s electoral body is fully constituted and operational well ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The latest appointments were formalised under Article 250(2) of the Constitution, in line with section 5(2) of the IEBC Act and the First Schedule to the Act.
According to the gazette notice, the Chairperson and all six commissioners will serve a non-renewable term of six years.
Source: Facebook
Those appointed to serve as commissioners are Ann Njeri Nderitu, Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor Hassan, Francis Odhiambo Aduol, and Fahima Araphat Abdallah.
"In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 250 (2) as read with section 5(2) of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act and Paragraph 4 of the First Schedule to the Act, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint Erastus Edung Ethekon to be the Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission for a period of six (6) years.
"In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 250 (2) as read with section 5 (2) of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act and Paragraph 4 of the First Schedule to the Act, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces appoint—Ann Njeri Nderitu, Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor Hassan, Francis Odhiambo Aduol, Fahima Araphat Abdallah, to be members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, for a period of six (6) years," the head of state stated in the notice released on Thursday, July 10 evening.
This team, together with Chairperson Ethekon, is now expected to oversee the IEBC’s work after their swearing in.
When will IEBC chair and commissioners be sworn in?
The chair of the commission and six commissioners were sworn into office on Friday, July 11, in an event presided over by Chief Justice Martha Koome.
The commission is now fully constituted and will embark on dealing with urgent and pressing issues on the table, key among these are conducting by-elections, boundary reviews, budget approvals and laying the groundwork for the 2027 General Election.
The chairman assured the country of a free, fair and credible electoral process in his inaugural speech.
Fahima Araphat Abdallah was selected to serve as the commission's vice chairperson.
Masolo Mabonga, HOD Current Affairs and Politics, updated this article with details on the swearing in of IEBC commissioners.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
