700 Kenyans apply for electoral agency positions
At least 700 people have applied for the four vacant positions of Commissioner at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
The chairperson of the Selection panel tasked with recruiting the commissioners Elizabeth Muli told a press conference yesterday that her team will now embark on processing the applications.
“The Selection panel wishes to inform the public that at the close of application period, over 700 applications were received for the four vacancies in the position of member of the IEBC,” said Muli in a statement issued at Parliament buildings.
She said the panel would publish the names of all the applicants on Monday after which the panel will commence the short-listing exercise and thereafter publish the names of successful candidates.
“The selection panel shall invite the views of the public on the suitability of the shortlisted candidates to serve in the position of member of the IEBC,” Muli said.
President Uhuru Kenyatta last month declared vacancies to replace four commissioners who resigned.
The four are Consolata Nkatha, Margaret Mwachanya, Paul Kurgat and Roselyn Akombe.
All the four left in controversial circumstances immediately after the 2017 elections. Akombe resigned immediately after the 2017 election.
Nkatha, who was the commission vice chairperson, commissioners Mwachanya and Kurgat, resigned a year later 2018 citing lack of confidence in the commission chairman Wafula Chebukati.
Akombe fled the country and announced her resignation while abroad on October 18, 2017 barely a week to the presidential election re-run, saying the commission could not guarantee a credible election and that she felt unsafe serving at the IEBC.
This left the chairman Wafula Chebukati and two commissioners Boya Molu and Abdi Yakub Guliye as the only serving members of the commission.
