NAIROBI, Kenya — The opposition coalition has demanded the immediate release of the exit report by the selection panel that vetted candidates for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), raising concerns over transparency and impartiality in the recruitment of the new electoral team.
In a joint statement issued on May 13, 2025, eight opposition leaders called for the publication of the report and all associated Hansard records, saying the move is critical to public trust in the electoral process.
“We demand the immediate and full publication of the selection panel’s exit report and all Hansard records, so the public can scrutinise the criteria used to recommend the six nominees for the commission,” the statement read in part.
The opposition alliance includes former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Martha Karua (People’s Liberation Party), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Eugene Wamalwa (DAP-K), Mukhisa Kituyi, Jubilee Party Chairperson Torome Saitoti, Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi, and former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, who now leads the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
The panel submitted nine names to President William Ruto on May 6, from which he nominated Erastus Edung Ethekon as the next IEBC chairperson.
Anne Nderitu, Moses Mukwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor, Francis Odhiambo, and Fahima Abdalla were nominated as commissioners.
However, the panel’s full report—including the complete list of shortlisted candidates—was not made public, prompting fresh political tensions.
The opposition leaders argue that withholding the report raises serious questions about whether the process adhered to constitutional standards of fairness, transparency, and merit.
“As the People’s Opposition, we will not sit back and watch the subversion of democracy,” the leaders said.
In a move likely to intensify scrutiny of the IEBC, the opposition announced plans to form a parallel “People’s IEBC”—a citizen-led shadow electoral commission tasked with monitoring and evaluating the official body.
They said the People’s IEBC would be guided by principles of transparency, constitutionalism, and accountability, and would serve as a watchdog to ensure a fair electoral environment ahead of the 2027 general election.
“What we feared has now come to pass,” the statement declared, warning that the opaque selection process risks compromising electoral credibility and public confidence in future polls.
The selection panel operated under the Secretariat of Parliament and has yet to comment on the calls for the release of its report.
