National Assembly approves Erastus Ethekon as new IEBC chair, six members as commissioners

The National Assembly has approved the nomination of Erastus Edung Ethekon as the new Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson and the six nominated members as commissioners.

The announcement comes days after National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula directed the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) to resume the vetting of the IEBC nominees, which had been halted by the court.

The president at the time also nominated six IEBC Commissioners from various regions, among them Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu (Nyandarua).

The others are: Moses Alutalala Mukhwana (Kakamega), Mary Karen Sorobit (Uasin Gishu), Hassan Noor Hassan (Mandera), Francis Odhiambo Aduol (Kisumu), and Fahima Araphat Abdallah (Lamu).

The nominated chairperson and the six commissioners now await their swearing-in.

The High Court had earlier issued conservatory orders stopping the gazettement of the IEBC nominees and their swearing-in.

The court, however, later gave a green light to Parliament to vet them.