National Assembly approves Ethekon as IEBC chairperson

 National Assembly has approved Erastus Edung Ethekon as chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, alongside six commissioners.

Ethekon was nominated by President William Ruto on May 8 to replace Wafula Chebukati, who died in February.

The approved commissioners are Ann Nderitu (Nyandarua), Moses Alutalala Mukhwana (Kakamega), Mary Karen Sorobit (Uasin Gishu), Hassan Noor Hassan (Mandera), Francis Odhiambo Aduol (Kisumu) and Fahima Araphat Abdallah (Lamu).

The approval followed Speaker Moses Wetang’ula’s directive to the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) to proceed with vetting, brushing aside an earlier ruling that barred the Executive from gazetting or swearing in the nominees until a pending petition is determined.

“Parliament is a constitutional body enjoined with the authority to discharge constitutional functions. Once a matter is before Parliament, whether in committee or plenary, proceedings in committees mirror those in the House,” said Wetang’ula.

He said Parliament would not halt its work based on court directions that do not directly affect its role.

“So I direct the committee on JLAC to proceed without haste and vet the nominees for chairperson and members of IEBC and bring the report to this House,” noted Wetang’ula.

Justice Lawrence Mugambi had ruled that although Parliament could vet the nominees, the Executive must hold off on their formal appointment.

 He referred the petition by activists Boniface Mwangi and Kelvin Roy Omondi to Chief Justice Martha Koome to appoint a bench to hear the case.

The petitioners argue President Ruto acted unlawfully when nominating Ethekon and the six commissioners, saying the process lacked public participation and fell short of constitutional expectations on inclusivity and people’s sovereignty.