NAIROBI, Kenya – President William Ruto has formally gazetted the appointments of a new Chairperson and six Commissioners to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), complying with a recent High Court directive that had nullified an earlier Gazette Notice on procedural grounds.
In Gazette Notice No. 9269, dated July 10, 2025, the President appointed Erastus Edung Ethekon as the new IEBC Chairperson for a non-renewable six-year term.
A separate Gazette Notice No. 9270 announced the appointment of six commissioners for similar terms.
The newly appointed commissioners are:
- Ann Njeri Nderitu
- Moses Alutalala Mukhwana
- Mary Karen Sorobit
- Hassan Noor Hassan
- Francis Odhiambo Aduol
- Fahima Araphat Abdallah
“In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 250(2) of the Constitution and Section 5(2) of the IEBC Act… I appoint Erastus Edung Ethekon to be the Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission,” the notice reads.
Fresh gazettement after court setback
The move follows a ruling by a three-judge bench — Justices Roselyne Aburili, John Chigiti, and Bahati Mwamuye — which quashed an earlier gazettement of the appointments, citing contempt of a valid conservatory order that was still in force at the time.
While the High Court upheld the substantive legality of the appointments, it found the initial formalization process procedurally flawed, as it violated court orders issued during an active case challenging the process.
The court’s decision did not affect the qualifications or integrity of the appointees, instead requiring the Executive to comply with procedural law by issuing a fresh Gazette Notice in line with the ruling.
With the new notices now published, the Chairperson and Commissioners are expected to take their oaths of office before Chief Justice Martha Koome, clearing the way for the electoral body to resume full operations.
The reconstitution of the IEBC is a critical step as the country gears up for the 2027 General Election, following the exit of former commissioners in the aftermath of the 2022 polls.
