Panel to name new IEBC team by December

IEBC selection panel chairperson Bernadette Musundi (right) and vice chairperson Abdulghafur El Busaidy address a press conference yesterday. [PHOTO: JENIPHER WACHIE/ STANDARD]

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will get new commissioners by mid December according to plans by the selection panel.

The journey to replace commissioners started in earnest on Wednesday after Chief Justice David Maraga swore the eight member panel. The ninth member, Rajesh Rawal of the Hindu Council of Kenya, opted out.

The team yesterday elected Bernadette Wanyonyi Musundi to chair the panel deputised by Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (Supkem) Chair Abdulghafur El Busaidy.

Speaking at a press briefing yesterday after the first meeting of the panel, Ms Musundi announced that the hunt for the commissioners will start from next week when they will advertise the positions.

“We will advertise for the positions on Monday October, 24. The advertisement of invitation for applications will be published in the Kenya gazette, two newspapers and the Parliamentary Service Commission Website,” she said.

According to the timelines released by the panel yesterday, they will receive applications for a period of two weeks from the date of advertisement.

Thereafter, names of the applicants and their qualifications will be published in the same platforms, before shortlisting begins on or about November 15. The public will have a week to give views on suitability of the applicants.

Interviews for the shortlisted candidates will be conducted in public tentatively between November 22 to 26, with the dates expected to vary depending on the volume of applications received and number of persons shortlisted.

The panel expects to select and forward two names of qualified candidates for the position of the chairperson and nine members of the IEBC commissioners on or about November 30.

“The selection panel reiterates that the timelines it has provided are provisional and ambitious but are also very achievable. It recognises the responsibility it bears on behalf of Kenyans and affirms its commitment to see all the timelines achieved,” said Musundi.

Other members of the panel are Evans Monari, Mary Kigen, Tom Mbaluto, Ogla Karani, Peter Karanja and David Oginde.

Resignation

Mr Monari and Ms Kigen were nominated by Jubilee while Mr Mbaluto and Musundi represent the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops and Mr Karanja was picked by the National Council of Churches of Kenya.

Prof El-Busaidy is from Supkem while Dr Oginde was nominated by the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya.

The Joint parliamentary committee on IEBC agreed on the selection panel of four persons, being two men and two women, nominated by the Parliamentary Service Commission, to pick new commissioners after Opposition called for the resignation of the former electoral agency bosses.

Speaking separately to The Standard on Saturday, lawyer Monari said Kenyans should expect new electoral commissioners before the Jamhuri Day celebrations.

He said their task is to give Kenyans reliable commissioners to steer the 2017 General Election. “The country is yearning for free, fair and credible elections. Our promise is that we will have the best men and women to conduct the next General Election through a transparent and professional recruitment process,” said Monari.

The swearing in of the panel set the stage for reconstituting IEBC following the resignation of Issack Hassan and eight other commissioners.

Monari said under the new electoral laws, they had seven days to invite applications for positions of chairman and commissioners to the IEBC.

“Once we get the names of the applicants we will a professional firm to look at their qualifications and give use names of shortlisted people who we will go ahead to interview,” he said.

He explained that the interviews will be conducted in public before the names of eleven successful candidates (two for the chairperson position and nine for commissioners) are forwarded to President Uhuru Kenyatta for consideration.

“From the list of the names forwarded by the panel to the President, he will select one candidate for chairman and six for commissioners,” he added.

He further said that the names will be approved by Parliament before they chairman and his six commissioners are sworn in.

“Tentatively we will have the tea in before Kenyans celebrate Jamhuri Day in December,” said Monari.