Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson nominee Erastus Edung has clarified that he is not related in any way to former Turkana County Governor Josphat Nanok.
Speaking during his vetting by the National Assembly’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) on Saturday, Edung, who previously served as the Turkana County Attorney, stated that his relationship with Nanok was purely professional, stemming from their four years of working together in the county government.
He was responding to a question from JLAC Chairperson George Murugara, who had asked whether he had any familial ties to the former governor.
“For the record, Honourable Chairman, not even close, not at the clan level, let alone family. We come from different villages and have no relationship whatsoever, whether by marriage or extended family,” Edung clarified.
Edung previously served as Nanok’s legal advisor during his tenure as Turkana Governor, a role that has raised concerns about potential political favouritism in his recent nomination as IEBC Chairperson.
His candidacy has been viewed by critics as a strategic move by Nanok and President Ruto’s administration to install a trusted ally at the helm of Kenya’s electoral body.
The nominee, selected by President William Ruto, emphasized that beyond the four-year professional relationship with former Governor Nanok, there are no further personal or political ties between them.
Edung served in Turkana County for six years, spending four years under Nanok’s administration and an additional two years under a new leadership before leaving in 2022.
Acknowledging the constitutional mandate of the IEBC, the nominee reassures the nation that the commission operates free from external influence or control.
“No man is an Island, but what the constitution tells us is that the IEBC is an independent commission and must not be under the control or direction of any person or authority. I, as the chairman, if you confirm me and I misbehave in the process, the provisions of the constitution are clear, a petition can be filed to remove me for any gross misconduct, violation of the constitution, or incompetence,” the nominee said.
“The nation should not worry about the many relationships we have had as we grow along our career paths or life,” he continued.
The JLAC is currently conducting approval hearings for nominees appointed to the IEBC by President Ruto. This is a crucial process as it determines the suitability of individuals selected to oversee the electoral process.
President Ruto nominated Erastus Edung Ethekon as the chairperson, and Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, Hassan Noor Hassan, Mary Karen Sorobit, Francis Odhiambo Aduol, Fahima Araphat Abdallah, and Anne Nderitu as the commissioners.
