President William Ruto on Tuesday formally appointed a new team to steer the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), marking the beginning of a new era for the electoral body ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In a gazette notice, the Head of State named Erastus Edung Ethekon as the chairperson of the Commission and appointed six others—Ann Njeri Nderitu, Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor Hassan, Francis Odhiambo Aduol, and Fahima Araphat Abdallah—as commissioners, each to serve for a six-year term.
The appointments come amid legal controversy, with ongoing court proceedings challenging the constitutionality of the selection process. A High Court ruling had earlier barred the gazettement and swearing-in of the team, but Ruto proceeded to formalise their appointment in apparent defiance of the court orders.
With the appointments now official, the team faces the urgent task of rebuilding public trust in the electoral body, implementing electoral reforms, and overseeing a credible voter registration process, all within tight timelines as the 2027 elections loom.
Equally crucial will be reworking internal structures, filling operational gaps, and addressing the backlog left by the absence of commissioners since the exit of the Wafula Chebukati-led team in early 2023—a vacuum that stalled several core IEBC functions for nearly two years.
Erastus Edung Ethekon
The newly appointed IEBC chairperson, boasts an impressive academic background with a Master of Laws (LL.M) in Oil, Gas and Energy Law from the University of Derby (2016), an MSc in Project Management from the University of Liverpool (2013), and an MA in Peace, Conflict and Development Studies from Universidad Jaume I, Spain (2012).
He is also a Chevening Fellow and holds a Postgraduate Certificate in the Implementation of International Human Rights Treaties from the University of Nottingham (2007).
Edung served as the County Attorney in Turkana County from 2018 to 2024. He previously worked as a Consultant Partner at Northern Consulting Solution and practised law at E. Ethekon & Co. Advocates from 2004 until his nomination to the Commission.
Ann Nderitu
The alumnus of the prestigious University of Nairobi and Moi University is not a newcomer to the commission, having served as the head of technical electoral training at the agency from 2016 to 2018.
Additionally, she boasts extensive experience, having served as the Registrar of Political Parties and a Director of Voter Education and Partnership.
Francis Aduol
The 73-year-old is an academician with extensive experience and a professor of survey and geospatial sciences. He previously served as the Vice Chancellor at the Technical University of Kenya.
Additionally, he served as a consultant to the Interim Review and Boundaries Commission from 2009 to 2010.
Mary Karen Sorobit
She enters the commission with a strong background in electoral law and civic education. She has served in various advisory capacities within political and legal spaces and is recognised for her contributions to policy interpretation and civic engagement.
Additionally, she has had stints at the Law Society of Kenya as the Deputy Secretary, Compliance and Ethics and at the organs' disciplinary committee.
Hassan Noor Hassan
The ex-provisional commissioner, on the other hand, brings long-standing experience in public service and political coordination, though much of his previous work has been behind the scenes in government and development-related roles.
Fahima Araphat Abdallah
Rounding out the new team is Araphat, whose entry brings diversity and a new lens to the commission’s operations. While her public record is less documented than that of her colleagues, her inclusion aligns with efforts to broaden representation within the electoral body ahead of the 2027 General Election.
