The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (Amendment) Bill 2022 has been approved by President William Ruto.
As a result, the Head of State is planning to create a seven-person selection committee to select the IEBC Chairperson and six commissioners.
On Thursday, the Senate approved a bill that attempted to change the makeup of the Selection Panel, which is in charge of overseeing the filling of open seats in the commission.
After serving for six years as stipulated by the constitution, the terms of the chairperson, Wafula Chebukati, and the commissioners, Boya Molu and Abdi Guliye, expired on Tuesday, January 17.
While Irene Masit continues to fight the charges brought against her in the tribunal, the other four commissioners—Juliana Cherera, Justus Nyangáya, and Francis Wanderi—resigned after being suspended and the creation of a tribunal to look into their actions on August 9, 2022, when the general election was held.
Following the bill’s passage into law, only two of the panel’s seven seats will be allocated to the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC), down from the existing four.
The Public Service Commission (PSC), the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), and the Political Parties Liaison Committee (PPLC) will each nominate one individual for the Panel.
Both the Inter-religious Council of Kenya and the Parliamentary Service Commission will have two members each, a male and a woman.
In order for the president to appoint them in a Gazette notice, Felix Koskey, head of the public service, is now anticipated to invite them to submit their nominees to the panel.
When the panel is officially established, Kenyans who fit the conditions to serve on the seven-member committee are invited to apply.
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