President Uhuru appoints four new IEBC commissioners

President Uhuru Kenyatta has approved the appointment of four IEBC commissioners after successful vetting.

Juliana Cherera, Francis Mathenge, Irene Masit and Justus Abonyo are expected to serve a period of six years.

This comes after the National Assembly yesterday approved all the four names of nominees to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

The four were nominated by President Uhuru Kenyatta last month.

The legislators unanimously voted to approve the report of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) chaired by Kangema MP Muturi Kigano that recommended for their approval.

“The House approves the nomination of the persons for appointment by the president as members of the IEBC,” Kigano said.

They will be replace Roselyn Akombe, Margaret Mwachanya, Paul Kurgat, and former vice-chair Consolata Maina who resigned from the commission after the 2017 General Election. Speaker Justin Muturi is expected to communicate to President Kenyatta after which the president will gazette the names before the nominees are sworn in by Chief Justice Martha Koome.

The electoral agency will now have the required quorum to make major decisions and prepare for next year’s polls. Lawmakers said next year’s elections will be the litmus test on the integrity of the incoming commissioners.

Uhuru also appointed Nicodemus Dr Ojuma Anyang, Christine Kahindi, Sharon Jelagat, Annceta Wafukho and Salesa Abudo to be members of the Teachers Service Commission for a period of six years.