President William Ruto has nominated Erastus Edung Ethekon, a former Attorney in Turkana under Governor Josphat Nanok, to serve as the new Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
The appointment follows recommendations from a selection panel and comes amid lingering tensions over the integrity of Kenya's electoral management body.
Ethekon’s nomination was part of a broader announcement made on Thursday, May 8, 2025, in which the Executive Office of the President unveiled a slate of candidates for appointment to the reconstituted IEBC.
Seven names were forwarded to the National Assembly for approval, including six individuals proposed to serve as Commission members.
The list includes Ann Njeri Nderitu (Nyandarua), Moses Alutalala Mukhwana (Kakamega), Mary Karen Sorobit (Uasin Gishu), Hassan Noor Hassan (Mandera), Francis Odhiambo Aduol (Kisumu), and Fahima Araphat Abdallah (Lamu).
Ethekon previously worked in Turkana County during Nanok’s tenure as governor.
Nanok now serves as Deputy Chief of Staff in Ruto’s administration, raising political eyebrows over the internal State House ties that have influenced the IEBC’s reconstitution.
Ethekon is expected to replace the late Wafula Chebukati, who chaired the commission through the deeply disputed 2022 general elections and passed away earlier this year.
The Executive has urged Parliament to expedite vetting and approval, citing the commission’s central role in safeguarding electoral democracy.
President Ruto’s first term has been marred by widespread public discontent, with Gen Z-led protests erupting over the high cost of living, perceived governance failures, and accusations of tone-deaf leadership.
His approval ratings have steadily declined, raising concerns about public trust in state institutions — a context that makes the reconstitution of the IEBC particularly sensitive.