Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson Wafula Chebukati beat ten shortlisted candidates on his way to being appointed in 2016.
In line with the constitutional requirement, the ten candidates had presented decorated curriculum vitae as part of their credentials owing to their long experience in legal matters.
So contested was the process of selection that the selection panel had to defer the interviews of candidates at some point owing to reservations from political leaders.
Despite missing out on the selection panel's pick, most of the candidates who offered themselves for the chairperson post have moved on and have been notable in various ways.
Taib Ali Taib
Former Mombasa Mayor Taib Ali was among the 13 candidates in the 2016 race to become the chairperson of IEBC.
Buoyed by his experience and achievements in the legal field, Ali offered himself for appointment hoping to suit the qualifications set for the man or woman who would become IEBC's second chairperson.
During his interview before the election committee in 2016, Taib had vowed to maintain integrity and transparency in his mandate as the IEBC Chairperson.
He is now a practising advocate of the High Court under Taib A Taib Advocates where he serves as the Managing Partner.
In 2020, the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji gazetted Philip Murgor, Taib Ali Taib and Paul Kihara as special prosecutors for a period of two years.
Some of his recent cases include the Arror and Kimwarer dam scandal where he appeared as a special prosecutor.
Florence Muoti Mwangangi
Former Speaker of Machakos County Assembly Florence Muoti Mwangangi was also among the advocates who applied for the IEBC top job in the race to succeed former chair Isaak Hassan.
She brought forth her experience as a lawyer and years of serving in different offices as the selection panel searched for an ideal chairperson at a time the nation was faced with the challenge of two antagonistic political factions jostling to win the 2017 polls.
She, however, fell short of the bar set by the selection panel. Less than a year later, Mwangangi was elected as the second Speaker of the Machakos County Assembly after the 2017 elections.
In 2022, Mwangangi had declared an interest in the Machakos gubernatorial seat before bowing out to join former candidate Nzioka Waita as his running mate.
Waita and Mwangangi lost the race to Wavinya Ndeti who succeeded Dr Alfred Mutua.
Mutakha Kangu
The renowned lawyer and legal scholar was also among the candidates who were eyeing the powerful position.
However, his ambition to govern the electoral commission suffered a setback after the selection panel was compelled to suspend his interviews due to pressure from a section of leaders from both major political positions.
Prior to his application, Mutakha Kangu was already prominent in his legal practice as an advocate and senior lecturer, at Moi University School of Law.
He was also a former Commissioner of the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission, and also chaired the Task Force on Devolved Governance.
Tukero Ole Kina
Advocate Tuekero Ole Kina made it to the list of the final shortlist of two names presented by the selection panel to the then President Uhuru Kenyatta.
However, the retired President picked Chebukati over Kina. He is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a proclaimed conservationist.
In June 2022, he made headlines after a breakthrough in a petition he had filed that led to the declaration that a law imposing three years wait for divorce is unconstitutional.
Margaret Wambui Ngugi Shava
Margaret Wambui Shava was also among the candidates who contested for the chairperson post in 2016, bringing to the table her decorated profile in matters of law.
Shava is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya with a vast experience in the administration and management of committees and boards.
In 2017, Shava was elected by the Assembly of State Parties at the International Criminal Case. She went on to be elected as the Vice Chairperson of the Audit Committee of the International Criminal Court (the Court). In March 2020, she was elected to serve as the Chair of the Audit Committee of the Court.
In 2022, Shava was appointed to the position of Kenya's High Commissioner to the Netherlands.
