To Restore Trust in IEBC, Appointments to the Commission Must Be Depoliticized.

By Clare Chepkurui Biy: Student, Kabarak University 

Image: IEBC 001 By Clare Chepkurui Biy_ Kabarak University 

Kenya’s electoral system has long struggled with credibility issues, as a youth, it pains me when my country struggles every after election while at the heart of this challenge lies the politicization of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) appointments. The current process, where both the government and opposition nominate individuals for consideration as commissioners, creates a perception of bias. 

As it stands, whichever political side that forwards a nominee and eventually become the IEBC Chairperson after consideration by the select committee according to our political environment are the "winners" while the opposing side will always question their neutrality. This erodes public trust in the commission and weakens the credibility of our electoral processes no matter how credible or not future elections will be.

Political Influence has it's big share of dangers in constituting an independent and most critical commission like the IEBC. In these case, when political parties have a direct hand in selecting commissioners, it compromises the independence of the IEBC before elections even take place. 

The 2022 elections, for instance, highlighted how internal divisions within the commission, largely fueled by merely "political affiliations," can cast doubt on election outcomes. The infamous fallout among commissioners showed how easily the credibility of IEBC can be shattered when political interests overshadow professionalism and integrity.

Image: IEBC. 2 By Clare Chepkurui Biy_Kabarak University 

A politically compromised IEBC is a threat to national stability. When political parties feel that the commission is favoring one side, they may resort to contesting election results not based on facts but on suspicions of bias. This, in turn, leads to post-election tensions, violence, and a general sense of disillusionment among voters across the country.

https://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/108400-ruto-appoints-9-member-iebc-selection-panel? (Reported, President, a player, picks IEBC selection panel)

There's need for a new model of IEBC Commission re-- constitution, to have independent and Non-Partisan appointments. To ensure true electoral integrity, the process of appointing IEBC commissioners must be restructured. Political parties should not have a say in who leads or sits on the commission. Like in any fair competition, whether in sports or governance as it is in these case, the participants do not get to pick the referee. 

In football, for example, the two teams entering the field do not influence the selection of the referee, they simply play the match under whoever has been appointed. Similarly, political players in Kenya should not have a role in selecting those who will oversee the elections they will contest in.

To make IEBC appointments truly independent, the law should be amended to remove political interference. One possible alternative is to assign this responsibility to non-partisan institutions, such as the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) or a judicial panel composed of retired judges. This would ensure that selections are made based on integrity, competence, and impartiality rather than political allegiance. Give them the responsibility to run the whole process and constitute future commissions and we will luckily get better results.

As an alternative, If the political input in IEBC appointments MUST be considered, an alternative approach would be to allow retired presidents, who have served their constitutional terms and can no longer contest elections, to oversee the selection process. Unlike active politicians, retired presidents would have no direct stake in the outcome of future elections and would be in a better position to make objective decisions. Unfortunately in Kenya, only President Uhuru Kenyatta is still with us. May the souls of our 1st, 2nd and 3rd President rest in eternal peace.

With the 2027 elections approaching, Kenya must act fast to address this fundamental flaw in the electoral system. The selection of IEBC commissioners must be anchored on merit, integrity, and independence. Allowing political parties to influence the process only guarantees future disputes like we have heard in the past and undermines democracy.

Electoral credibility starts with an impartial referee. To secure Kenya’s democracy, we must fix our laws and establish a truly independent IEBC, one that serves the people, not politicians. As we mess again for 2027, we can consider change past there. The parliament must come up with laws to guarantee that.

Clare Chepkurui Biy is a student at Kabarak University, Passionate about her country, Kenya. clarec@kabarak.ac.ke

https://nation.africa/kenya/news/the-men-and-women-who-will-pick-next-iebc-commissioners-4902794? (Nation: IEBC selection panel)