NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenyan lawyer and political activist Dr. Miguna Miguna has launched a scathing attack on newly appointed IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon, claiming the electoral commission is no longer independent but a political extension of President William Ruto’s administration.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV on Sunday, Miguna accused Ethekon of being “tethered” to the executive and unfit to lead a credible electoral process ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“This man is not independent,” said Miguna. “He worked for [Presidential Advisor on Oil and Gas] Josphat Nanok in Turkana. He was headhunted by William Ruto like he does with all so-called independent constitutional bodies.”
Miguna claimed the appointment was part of a broader strategy by the President to “capture” independent institutions — particularly the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which he alleged had been “cloned” in Ruto’s image.
“This IEBC is made in the image of William Ruto,” he said. “Anybody who expects this cloned IEBC to preside over credible, fair and transparent elections is in some dreamland.”
A Pattern of Warnings
Miguna drew parallels to his past criticisms of former IEBC chairpersons, including the late Samuel Kivuitu, Issack Hassan, and Wafula Chebukati, all of whom he had previously accused of presiding over disputed elections.
“I warned the country against Kivuitu, Issack Hassan, Chebukati — and it came to pass,” he said. “I am now warning Kenyans that this clone from Turkana and his group of Ruto-tethered commissioners are not independent, but dependent.”
He further labelled the new commissioners as a “coronation choir for William Ruto,” alleging they were selected to guarantee political outcomes favourable to the President rather than safeguard democratic integrity.
IEBC Under Scrutiny
The controversial remarks come as the reconstituted IEBC, which had remained dormant for months following the exit of Chebukati and other commissioners, prepares to oversee key by-elections and manage the 2027 national polls.
Ethekon, a former public servant in Turkana County and ex-employee of the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, was recently sworn in alongside six new commissioners.
His appointment has been met with mixed reactions, with some welcoming the long-overdue restoration of the electoral body, while others — including members of the opposition — have raised concerns over the selection process.
