The National Assembly Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs (JLAC) is set to begin approval hearings for the seven nominees to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

This follows a communication from the National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, confirming that he had received a message from President William Ruto requesting parliamentary approval for the appointment of the IEBC chairperson and commissioners.

JLAC Chairman, George Murugara, confirmed receiving the communication from the Speaker and announced that the approval process will soon begin, with the public invited to submit their input to guide the vetting of the nominees. 

The law mandates that the public be given a chance to express their views within a given time frame, which can be up to 28 days. 

“The maximum number of days it can take is 28 days from the date it was received, which takes us to almost the end of this month. 

Musyoka also referred to the National Dialogue Committee (Nadco) report, which suggests that consultation between the two major coalitions is necessary to foster confidence in the IEBC. “The recommendations in Paragraph 861 of the report highlight the importance of consultations before the President appoints the chairperson and members of the IEBC,” Musyoka added.

DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa echoed Musyoka’s concerns, accusing the President of failing to consult the opposition. “Even if Ruto goes ahead and hands-picks the IEBC team, we are ready. We will beat him,” Wamalwa said.

Meanwhile, the Election Observation Group (ELOG) expressed concerns over the lack of transparency in the process, especially regarding the recruitment report. 

On the other hand, the Turkana Professionals’ Association praised the nomination of Ethekon as IEBC chairperson.

“This nomination is not just a personal triumph for Ethekon, but a national statement on inclusivity, fairness, and equity in public service,” Jackson Nakusa, the association’s chairperson said. By Irene Githinji , The Standard