Kenya’s newly-minted People’s United Opposition (PUO) has accused President William Ruto of “state-capture in broad daylight” after he forwarded seven names to fill the long-vacant Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
In a fiery Tuesday morning press statement, the coalition, fronted by Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Fred Matiang’i and five other party heavyweights, claims the list “isn’t a commission for the people; it’s a project designed to rig the 2027 election.”
Why the uproar?
- Stacked shortlist, opaque process. The PUO says the selection panel was “a political extension of State House,” ignoring constitutional demands for consultation and public participation. They point to last-minute inclusion of Hassan Noor Hassan – a relative of ODM whip Junet Mohamed, after the panel mysteriously extended its deadline.
- Loyalists in line for top jobs. Nominee chair Erastus Edung Ethekon, a former Turkana County attorney with close ties to State House Comptroller Josphat Nanok, heads the list. Critics argue his record “is riddled with failure.”
- Conflicts of interest. Short-listed commissioner hopefuls include Joy Midivo (a UDA official) and Charles Nyachae, son of the late powerful cabinet minister Simeon Nyachae, also said to be a close Ruto ally. Panel member Dr Adams Oloo doubles as a presidential communications adviser – “an outright breach of impartiality,” the statement says.
Article 88(2) requires the IEBC be independent, impartial and free from political influence. The opposition argues the latest picks undermine that clause, describing the agency as “an extension of the president’s 2027 campaign machine.”
Government push-back
Speaker Moses Wetang’ula insists Parliament – not State House – has the final word, urging critics to file objections before vetting begins on 26 May. “The President is merely part of a constitutional process,” he told reporters.
Kenya Kwanza MPs and groups like SUPKEM have rallied behind the nominees, calling on Kenyans “to respect due process and avoid politicising an independent institution.”
What happens next?
| Key Date | Event | What’s at Stake |
|---|---|---|
| 21 May | Deadline for public memoranda | Citizens can submit evidence supporting or opposing the seven nominees. |
| 26 May | National Assembly vetting | Justice & Legal Affairs Committee grills candidates; a simple majority can confirm or reject. |
| TBD | House vote | If Parliament rejects any name, the selection panel must restart the search. |
Meanwhile, the PUO plans to launch a “People’s IEBC,” a citizen-led watchdog that will “mirror the official commission” and publish its own scorecards on transparency and integrity, grounded in Article 10 national-values benchmarks.
Bigger political picture
- Ruto’s critics see the move as the latest in a series of unilateral decisions—following controversial appointments to parastatals and the judiciary—that entrench loyalists ahead of the 2027 polls.
- Supporters counter that the previous IEBC collapsed after the 2022 election fallout and blame Raila Odinga’s camp for 15 months of delays. They argue the country “cannot afford to head into another election without a referee.”
“This is not just about 2027. It is about the soul of our democracy,” the PUO declares in its statement, urging Kenyans to “unite, resist and reclaim our country.”
Should Parliament wave the nominees through, Kenya will get its first full electoral commission since January 2023. If lawmakers balk—under pressure from a resurgent opposition—the hiring process could return to square one, reigniting fears of an institutional vacuum barely two years before the next general election.
Read the full statement.
