President William Ruto appoints new IEBC selection panel

President William Ruto has appointed a nine-member selection panel to recruit the next chairperson and Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioners.

The new panel includes Kiome Lindah Gakii, Prof. Adams Oloo, James Evans Misati, Nicodemus Kipchirchir Bore, Ambassador Koki Muli Grignon, Carolene Kituku, Tanui Andrew Kipkoech, Dr. Nelson Makanda, and Fatuma Saman.

Oloo was also recently appointed as an advisor to the president.

The team will be sworn in at 9 a.m. Monday at the Supreme Court buildings.

The ceremony will be presided over by Chief Justice Martha Koome.

In a Gazette notice dated 27 January 2025, Ruto said, "I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint... Members of the Selection Panel for the Recruitment of nominees for appointment as the Chairperson and Members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission."

The new panel will oversee the recruitment of nominees for the positions of chairperson and commissioners of the IEBC, which will play a key role in the country’s 2027 General Election.

The appointments come after the High Court ruled on Friday, allowing Ruto to establish the panel. The court dismissed a petition challenging the constitution of the panel, which had claimed that persons with disabilities were excluded.

 Lady Justice Dola Chepkwony also threw out a separate petition challenging Azimio’s nomination process, noting that allegations of a non-competitive recruitment process were unproven.

The panel formation comes amid mounting pressure on Ruto, with critics accusing him of interfering with independent institutions and stalling reforms.