This archive report was first published on 10 July 2019.
On July 10, 2019, a case challenging the recruitment of the next Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) CEO was set to be heard. However, the presiding judge, Byrum Ongaya, directed parties to file and serve their submissions, pushing the case to next Monday.
Despite this, the court maintained that orders stopping the recruitment of a new CEO remain in force. The IEBC has stated that the recruitment process has been transparent and beyond reproach.
IEBC Chair Wafula Chebukati has asked the court to dismiss the case, calling it malicious and frivolous. He argued that the case is premature and in violation of the Access to Information Act, and that the sole intention of the applicant is to delay the recruitment process for selfish motives.
Chebukati further claimed that section 101(1) of the IEBC Act gives the mandate of hiring the CEO to the commission, and that there is no legal requirement to have an independent firm conduct the hiring.
