Ex-IEBC Vice Chair Lilian Mahiri Among 16 Shortlisted for IPOA Chairperson Job

Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Vice Chair Lilian Bokeeye Mahiri-Zaja is among 16 candidates shortlisted for the powerful position of Chairperson of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).

The shortlist, released on Tuesday, May 26, also features former IEBC Commissioner Thomas Letangule, who served alongside Mahiri-Zaja during the turbulent 2013 election period before the commission resigned in 2016 amid political pressure.

The selection panel confirmed that all shortlisted candidates will undergo public interviews before the final name is forwarded to President William Ruto for appointment.

Also on the list is Duncan Ojwang Oburu, whose 2025 nomination to chair the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) was rejected over constitutional concerns surrounding gender balance.

The next IPOA chairperson will replace former chair Isaack Hassan, who resigned after being appointed Judge of the Court of Appeal.