NAIROBI, Kenya – Erastus Edung Ethekon, the newly nominated Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), has drawn national attention following President William Ruto’s decision to bypass more prominent contenders for the high-stakes position.
If approved by Parliament, the 48-year-old legal and development expert will take the helm of one of Kenya’s most critical constitutional bodies, charged with steering the country through its next general election.
Ethekon brings over two decades of experience in law, governance, and international development.
He is currently a partner at Northern Consulting Solutions and Ethekon & Co. Advocates, and previously served in senior roles at the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) from 2007 to 2015.
During his time at UNDP, he rose from Programs Management Specialist to Chief Technical Advisor, with a focus on area-based development programming in Kenya.
In 2018, he was appointed County Attorney in the Turkana County Government, a role he held for six years.
His blend of legal, policy, and development experience is seen as vital for restoring credibility and stability to the IEBC, which has faced a leadership vacuum and eroding public trust since the 2022 elections.
Academically, Ethekon holds a law degree from the University of Nairobi, a Postgraduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law, and a Postgraduate Certificate in the Implementation of International Human Rights Treaties from the University of Nottingham.
His international education includes three master’s degrees: an MA in Peace, Conflict, and Development Studies from Universidad Jaume I (Spain), an MSc in Project Management from the University of Liverpool (UK), and an LL.M in Oil, Gas, and Energy Law from the University of Derby (UK).
Now awaiting parliamentary vetting, Ethekon faces a pivotal moment in his career—and in the country’s democratic future—as he prepares to lead an institution central to Kenya’s electoral integrity.
