As he rose, controversy hounds Marjan out of IEBC

After serving at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for more than a decade, Hussein Marjan became the longest-serving senior official in the electoral agency’s history.

Marjan joined the commission in March 2015 as Deputy Commission Secretary in charge of Support Services, replacing Wilson Sholei. An accounting and audit expert, he was tasked with overseeing administrative, financial and logistical functions at the Secretariat.

In 2017, amid turbulence following the nullification of the August presidential election and the fallout that followed within the commission, Marjan was appointed Lead Coordinator. He later assumed office as Acting Chief Executive Officer on September 5, 2017, taking over from Ezra Chiloba, who had been sent on compulsory leave and later dismissed over alleged gross misconduct.

Marjan would remain in the acting role for nearly five years, one of the longest interim tenures in the commission’s history.

While his prolonged stay as acting CEO drew public debate about institutional stability and governance at IEBC, his substantive appointment in March 2022 followed a competitive recruitment process.

He held the position of CEO and Commission Secretary until February 2026, when he resigned.

His tenure, much like those of his predecessors, attracted criticism.

The most prominent controversy associated with Marjan’s final months in office began in January 2026, when opposition leaders publicly rejected IEBC’s continued engagement of Smartmatic, the supplier of the   Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS) kits, ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Opposition figures accused Marjan of authorising extensions and procurement decisions related to Smartmatic without full commission approval, arguing that the move raised credibility concerns and revived unresolved questions from previous elections. The backlash escalated into calls for his removal, with critics saying the decisions compromised transparency and further eroded trust in the electoral process.

Questions around  IEBC’s preparedness during Marjan’s tenure emerged as early as 2022, ahead of the General Election. Together with then-chairperson Wafula Chebukati, Marjan was repeatedly put to task by lawmakers and stakeholders over the commission’s readiness to conduct credible polls.

Concerns centred on procurement timelines, voter registration infrastructure, and whether the Secretariat had the operational capacity to deliver elections under tight deadlines. While IEBC consistently maintained it was prepared, critics argued that gaps in planning, communication and transparency risked undermining public confidence in the commission.

Marjan’s leadership faced judicial scrutiny in mid-2022, when he interdicted Deputy Commission Secretary Ruth Kulundu.

Kulundu challenged the decision in court, arguing that due process had not been followed and that the interdiction violated internal procedures. In 2022, the High Court suspended the interdiction, faulting the process and ordering her reinstatement pending the hearing and determination of the case.

Another legal challenge emerged in 2025, stemming from a long-running dispute dating back to the 2017 General Election.

Marjan was found guilty of contempt of court over IEBC’s failure to settle a Sh200 million debt owed to a communications firm contracted during the 2017 polls. The court ruled that the commission had failed to comply with payment orders despite sufficient time having elapsed. As IEBC’s accounting officer, Marjan was held personally responsible for the non-compliance.

Marjan resigned in February 2026, following what the commission described as a mutual agreement to terminate his services. IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon said the decision was reached after consultations within the commission.

Governance lawyer Javas Bigambo said the resignation may have been influenced by the commission’s desire to work with a reconstituted team ahead of the 2027 General Election.

“After the 2022 elections, one of the issues negotiated under the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) was the reconstitution of the IEBC. It is possible that the resignation reflected the commission’s desire to involve fresh faces as it prepares for the next election,” Bigambo said.

Political analyst Macharia Munene described Marjan’s exit as a routine administrative decision rather than a political one.

“Marjan served under previous regimes. It is possible that differences arose between him and the new commission. These are simple administrative challenges, not necessarily political,” Munene said.

Marjan’s exit came just over a year before preparations for the 2027 General Election entered a critical phase.

Bigambo noted that timing may have worked in the commission’s favour, arguing that replacing a CEO closer to the election period would have been disruptive.

“By April, election preparations intensify. Recruiting a new CEO close to an election would not be ideal. In this case, he is exiting willingly and under mutual agreement, which suggests a soft landing and possibly full terminal benefits,” he said.

Marjan oversaw one General Election in his substantive role, the 2022 polls, and managed multiple electoral preparations during his extended tenure as acting CEO.

In a message to staff, Marjan said the decision followed a mutual agreement on what he termed “a structured transition in the Office of the Commission Secretary/Chief Executive Officer.”

He thanked IEBC staff for maintaining “continuity, stability and institutional readiness during a time of transition,” particularly during the 2022 General Election.

“It has been an honour to work with a professional, dedicated and resilient team committed to the constitutional mandate of the IEBC,” he wrote.

Marjan also expressed gratitude for his time at the commission, where he first served as Deputy Commission Secretary from March 2015 before rising to the top administrative position.