Parliament will begin vetting nominees for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on Saturday, following a High Court decision that lifted an injunction halting the process. The vetting will take place at Parliament Buildings from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
President Ruto nominated Erastus Ethekon as IEBC chairperson, with Anne Nderitu, Moses Mukwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor, Francis Odhiambo, and Fahima Abdalla as commissioners. A court case had earlier challenged the fairness of the nominations, but Justice Lawrence Mugambi ruled that vetting could proceed—although final appointments must await a court ruling on constitutional issues.
Despite legal protests, lawmakers insisted Parliament retains its right to vet nominees. Speaker Moses Wetang’ula ordered the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee to continue and deliver a report without delay. Minority Leader Junet Mohamed supported this position, criticizing judicial overreach.
Vetting is set for one day, with each nominee appearing before MPs in hourly slots. Public submissions on the nominees’ suitability had been invited earlier. Concerns remain over election readiness for 2027, with several electoral areas currently lacking representation due to IEBC vacancies.
