Why all candidates' scores should be made public after IEBC interviews

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) interviews in search for commissioners have captured the nation’s attention as candidates seek the honour of safeguarding Kenya’s electoral integrity.

Their résumés are being scrutinised, their records debated, their competence questioned. And yet, when the dust settles, the public will be left with mere names in terms of appointments declared with no specific scores of each candidate made publicly available.

Transparency is the soul of good governance, yet Kenyans are routinely asked to trust decisions made in secret chambers, without the benefit of knowing why one candidate was chosen over another. Article 10 of the Constitution enshrines accountability, transparency, and public participation as foundational values of governance.

Article 35 guarantees citizens the right to access information held by the State. Yet, despite these provisions, recruitment processes for key independent commissions remain shrouded in secrecy, denying the public its constitutional right to scrutinise and understand the basis of such critical decisions.

The IEBC commissioners’ interviews run the risk of exemplifying this persistent challenge. Kenyans have watching the candidates being subjected to rigorous questioning by the selection panel. Their qualifications, their integrity, their vision for electoral reform and everything have been laid bare. But then will come the familiar silence of each candidate’s specific scorecard.

Once the final names are forwarded to the appointing authority, the public will be left in the dark regarding the scorecards, ranking criteria, and the actual evaluations that determined the fate of those entrusted with electoral justice. Were the best candidates truly chosen? Were some individuals favoured despite weaker credentials?

The absence of a publicly available scorecard fosters suspicion, erodes trust, and undermines the very credibility of these institutions before they even begin their work. The scorecard is important as it shows the score awarded by each panelist, the evaluation standards considered by the panel and whether the criteria meets constitutional muster.

If Kenya is to move towards a truly accountable governance system, we must make scorecards of all candidates for independent commissions publicly available. This single act would revolutionise the way appointments are perceived. It would allow Kenyans to see, with clarity, how decisions are made and whether they align with the principles of meritocracy and fairness. It would deter the quiet lobbying and political manoeuvring that often poison recruitment processes.

More importantly, it would strengthen public confidence in our institutions. A citizen who knows that commissioners were chosen based on clear, measurable, and justifiable criteria is far more likely to trust their leadership.

This argument extends far beyond the IEBC. The Judicial Service Commission (JSC), which oversees the recruitment of judges, including the Chief Justice (CJ), has also faced similar criticism. It is not just the IEBC or the JSC—every independent commission and public institution conducting competitive recruitment should adopt this practice to ensure that competitive recruitment is fully actualised. Prof Makau Mutua has from 2016, when he applied for the CJ’s position, asked the JSC to supply publicly the scores for all the candidates to no avail.

The same was the case in 2021 when CJ Koome was appointed. No records of scores were availed. The secrecy surrounding appointments fuels speculation, breeds distrust, and invites undue influence. Sunlight, as they say, is the best disinfectant.

A transparent system does not create bad politics, it exposes it. Making scorecards public is not a radical demand but a constitutional necessity. It aligns with the spirit of Article 10 on transparency and accountability. It upholds the right to information under Article 35.

If Kenya is serious about good governance, if we truly believe in merit-based leadership, then we must demand more than just names and appointments. We must demand the truth behind those decisions. And the first step to that truth is making scorecards public. The time for shadows has passed. The time for transparency is here.