President Ruto Gazettes Erastus Edung Ethekon as IEBC Chairperson, Ending Two-Year Vacancy
The gazettement, announced on June 10, 2025, marks a significant step toward reconstituting the electoral body ahead of a critical electoral period.
New IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon. Photo/Mpasho.
By Robert Assad
President William Ruto has officially appointed Erastus Edung Ethekon as the new Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), filling a leadership void that has persisted since January 2023.
The gazettement, announced on June 10, 2025, marks a significant step toward reconstituting the electoral body ahead of a critical electoral period.
Ethekon succeeds Wafula Chebukati, whose term ended over two years ago, leaving the IEBC without commissioners. In the same notice, President Ruto appointed six additional commissioners: Ann Njeri Nderitu, Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Francis Odhiambo Aduol, and Fahima Araphat Abdallah. Each will serve a six-year term, as outlined under Article 250 (2) and the IEBC Act.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution and the IEBC Act, I, William Samoei Ruto, appoint Erastus Edung Ethekon as Chairperson of the IEBC for a period of six years,” the President stated in the gazette notice. The move is expected to restore the commission’s full operational capacity after nearly two and a half years of inactivity.
The appointments follow a contentious recruitment process that faced legal challenges. Activist Boniface Mwangi and voter Kelvin Omondi recently filed a petition, arguing that the nomination process was flawed and unconstitutional.
They sought a court order to halt the gazettement and oath-taking of the nominees, demanding a fresh recruitment exercise. High Court Judge Lawrence Mugambi issued a conservatory order, citing “potential constitutional breaches” that required judicial scrutiny. Despite the ruling, the gazettement proceeded, raising questions about the resolution of the legal dispute.
The reconstitution of the IEBC is a pivotal development as Kenya prepares for upcoming electoral activities. The absence of commissioners since January 2023 had stalled the commission’s operations, delaying preparations for boundary reviews and voter registration. With Ethekon and the new commissioners now in place, the IEBC can resume its mandate, though public and legal scrutiny of the appointment process lingers.
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