Photo/FILE Interim Independent Electoral Commission chairman Ahmed Isaack Hassan during a briefing on the Kenya referendum at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi, August 4, 2010.
By JIM ONYANGO (email the author)
Posted Tuesday, October 11 2011 at 22:30
Posted Tuesday, October 11 2011 at 22:30
The search for a new team to manage next year's general election comes to an end on Wednesday with the interview of the chairman of the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) Isaack Hassan who is seeking to chair the yet to be formed Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
The IEBC selection panel shortlisted eight people to be interviewed for the position of the chairman of the new electoral body to replace the IIEC which was established in 2008 after the Electoral Commission of Kenya was disbanded following the disputed presidential election of 2007.
Four candidates Consolata Ngondi, Onsando Osiemo, Koki Muli and Murshid Mohammed appeared before the selection panel on Tuesday with the other four--including Mr Hassan, scheduled to be interviewed on Wednesday.
The IEBC Act 2011 provides that the panel will pick three candidates whose names will be forwarded to President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga who will pick one person to become the chairman of the new electoral body.
Mr Hassan, who was appointed chairman of the IIEC in 2008 and has since managed a referendum and seven by-elections, will appear before the panel on Wednesday morning.
The panel has already interviewed 44 candidates for the position of commissioners of the IEBC. The panel will forward 13 names of suitable candidates to President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga who will appoint eight to the new electoral body.
The panel outlined strict conditions for candidates interested in the positions in a move aimed at locking out tax defaulters and criminals.
The applicants were required to seek clearance from the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission, the National Security Intelligence Service, Criminal Investigation Department, Kenya Revenue Authority, Director of Public Prosecutions, Higher Education Loans Board and professional groups such as the Law Society of Kenya (LSK).
During Tuesday’s interviews for the position of the chairman that were open to the public and the media, the selection panel questioned the candidates on their suitability for the job.
Electoral law expert Ms Koki Muli fended off claims that she developed close relationship with politicians and political parties when she worked as the executive director of the Institute of Education in Democracy (IED). (READ: Candidate taken to task over 2007 polls)
"My mandate at IED was to work with political parties and politicians to enhance electoral awareness...I had a professional and not personal relationship with the political parties," She said.
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