Only four apply for top election post

By Isaac Ongiri

On starting blocks of race to pick head of the new electoral body, manager of elections next year and overseer of demarcation of the 80 new constituencies, stand only four people.

They are the head of Interim Independent Electoral Commission Ahmed Isaack Hassan, Mercy Koki Muli who is a consultant on electoral issues, and formerly of Institute for Education in Democracy, Consolata Wanjiku Ngodi, and Kelong Titus Kipkoech.

All have applied to head the new Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Ngondi is listed as a Masters Degree holder on Human Rights, while Kelong is said to have a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Statistics.

On the other hand Isaack is listed as holding a Bachelors Degree in Law, and is a Certified Public Secretary, while Muli holds a Bachelors and Masters degrees in law.

According to an advertisement put up by the Selection Panel headed by Dr Ekuru Aukot, another 434 people have applied for the positions of IEBC commissioners.

"The chairperson of the IEBC shall be a person who is qualified to hold the office of Judge of theSupreme Court in accordance with Article 166(3) of the Constitution," stated the advertisement.

Kipkoech, however, could be disqualified when the actual shortlisting is done, given the law requires the commission chair to be a lawyer, who should have practiced for more than 17 years.

Politicians, all IIEC commissioners, some of the former members of the boundaries commission, and top lawyers are among the 434 applicants seeking to be the jobs.

The commission will also be responsible for the completion of the creation of 80 new constituencies that stalled early last year after the former Interim Independent Boundaries Commission members differed before they could gazette the final list of the proposed boundaries.

On Thursday, Dr Aukot declined to comment on the process only insisting it would be transparent.

"We do not want to say much on this process. What I know is that we will make it participatory and transparent," he promised.

All the current IIEC commissioners and their colleagues, who served in the now defunct IIBRC, including former Vihiga MP, Andrew Ligale, have also applied.

Ligale chaired the controversial IIBRC whose members could not agree on the list of new constituencies before three members – Mwenda wa Makathimo, Joseph Kaguthi and Dr John Nkinyangi – stormed out of the commission’s final meeting in protest, throwing the process in disarray.

IIEC commissioners who have applied to join the new electoral body include Nzibo Yusuf Abdulrahman, Douglas Mwashigadi, Winfred Guchu, Abiud Wasike, Kennedy Nyaundi, Hamara Ibrahim Adan, Tiya Galgalo, and Davis Chirchir.

Noticeable applicants

Apart from Ligale and Makathimo, the other former members of the IIBRC who applied include Murshid Abdala and former Permanent Secretary Abdulahi Sharawe, Jedida Ntoyai, and Irene Cherop Masit.

However, Ligale may be blocked from joining the new team if a clause in the advertisement locking out persons who have stood for elections within the past five years is implemented.

"Any person who has at any time within the preceding five years, held office, or stood for election in parliamentary, civic or political party, will be excluded," reads part of the rules.

Ligale lost his Vihiga seat to Yusuf Chanzu in the 2007 General Election before being picked to head the now defunct boundaries commission.

Other noticeable applicants include former PS Solomon Boit, former envoy Maria Nzomo, former Nema Director General Mwinzi Musya, IIEC Nairobi Regional Co-ordinator Ruth Kulundu, and former East African Legislative Assembly MP Ochieng’ Mbeo.

The new commission will be made up of the chairperson and eight commissioners, with the law requiring the retention of some commissioners from IIEC and IIBRC for institutional memory.

The shortlisted candidates are expected to face public vetting by the Ekuru panel before being cleared by the National Assembly, which must approve the nominations for the President to make formal appointments.

Already, all the applicants have had to get clearance from different State organs and professional bodies such as the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission, the Criminal Investigations Department, Kenya Revenue Authority, and their professional organisations.

The new commissioners will immediately embark on the preparation for the next General Election expected in August, next year.

Bungled elections

On Tuesday, the outgoing IIEC chairman said it was up to the panel to pick the best team to manage the elections.

He praised his team for reforming the electoral agency inherited from the defunct Electoral Commission of Kenya, which was largely blamed for the bungled 2007 General Election.

IIEC was created following a resolve to implement a report by the Kriegler Commission that had ruled that the 2007 elections had been bungled to the extent the actual winner could not be known.

"We have done our best. What remains now is for the new commission. It is our hope that a good team will be put together to proceed from where the IIEC will have left," Hassan said.

Secretary to the Commission James Oswago said the commission had delivered on its mandate, and met all the expectations.

"We have to agree that the chairman led the commission into delivering to the expectations of Kenyans. This was a truly competent team," Mr Oswago said.

At the same time Parliament has shortlisted 67 people for nomination as representatives of the National Assembly, and the Senate in the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.

Former Education Minister Peter Oloo Aringo is among 39 applicants seeking to be nominated to represent the National Assembly, while 28 others are seeking to represent the Senate.