Kalonzo Accuses Ruto of Partisan Appointments to IEBC Over Erastus Ethekon Nomination
President William Ruto’s nomination of Erastus Ethekon, former Turkana County Attorney, as the chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has sparked a strong response from opposition leader Kalonzo Musyoka. Kalonzo has accused President Ruto of making partisan appointments, undermining the integrity of the IEBC.
Upon the release of the nominations, Kalonzo immediately dismissed the appointments, stating that they lacked transparency and fairness. He raised concerns that the process had created a low-trust institution, with the appointment of Ethekon standing out as particularly controversial. According to Kalonzo, Ethekon was not the leading candidate in the interviews, implying that the process was manipulated to favor a specific political agenda.
“We are extremely concerned that Ruto chose to be partisan by ignoring the principle of consultation and concurrence in his recommendations for the IEBC leadership,” Kalonzo said. He further claimed that the nominations were part of a broader plan to rig the upcoming elections and by-elections. Kalonzo has vowed that the opposition will release a comprehensive statement on May 12, 2025, outlining their next steps, which could include legal challenges.
Kalonzo’s comments have raised the possibility of court cases to challenge the legitimacy of the IEBC appointments. The nominations now await approval by the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) of the National Assembly. President Ruto has urged the National Assembly, which is currently on recess, to prioritize the vetting process to ensure the commission can function effectively.
In a statement, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei emphasized the importance of the IEBC in upholding democracy and managing electoral processes, urging the National Assembly to prioritize the confirmation of the nominees.
The list of nominated IEBC commissioners also includes notable figures such as former Registrar of Political Parties Anne Ndiritu, Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, and former Education and Sports CAS Hassan Noor Hassan. However, the inclusion of six additional candidates, who were added after the Selection Panel had completed shortlisting, has further fueled controversy. Only Hassan Noor was ultimately nominated from this group, prompting further scrutiny of the selection process.
Selection Panel Chairperson Nelson Makanda has denied allegations of irregularities, asserting that all additional candidates were publicly listed.
The nomination process had been delayed earlier due to a court case filed by Kalonzo’s ally Koki Muli, challenging the ruling of the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal regarding his exclusion from the IEBC selection panel.
Kalonzo, alongside his Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K) counterpart Eugene Wamalwa, has emphasized that President Ruto should have adhered to recommendations from the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO). These recommendations call for bipartisan consultation before making appointments to the IEBC. Kalonzo insists that any process that sidelines the opposition or excludes smaller parties would result in a partisan IEBC, eroding public trust in the institution.
The Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD) has also called for more transparency in the nomination process, suggesting that sharing candidate performance and rankings could enhance public confidence in the fairness of the procedure.
The reconstitution of the IEBC has been delayed since 2023 following the exit of former chairman Wafula Chebukati and his team. This delay has led to a backlog of critical tasks, including policy formulation and boundary delimitation, raising concerns about the commission’s preparedness for the 2027 elections.
Experts warn that the delay in appointing new commissioners could create unnecessary pressure on the IEBC, increasing the risk of errors and inefficiencies in the upcoming elections. Time is running out for procuring electoral materials and preparing systems, with the opposition’s concerns about the commission’s readiness intensifying.
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Kalonzo Accuses Ruto of Partisan Appointments to IEBC Over Erastus Ethekon Nomination
