This archive report was first published on 26 July 2019.
On July 26, 2019, the Employment and Labour Relations Court intervened in the recruitment process for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) CEO, halting the process for the second time in seven months.
The court's decision came after Chama cha Mawakili petitioned against the IEBC, citing several irregularities in the recruitment process, including the failure to hire a consultant human resource firm and the presence of a conflict of interest.
IEBC had shortlisted 10 candidates for the position, but the court ordered the commission to stop the process and start anew, citing the need for transparency and accountability.
The recruitment process had been marred by controversy, including the rejection of a human resource firm, Alpex Consulting Africa Limited, which had been awarded the contract to lead the recruitment process.
Alpex Consulting Africa Limited had rejected the award, citing the IEBC's failure to address their concerns and expose the firm to non-compliance with the law and professional human resources management practices.
This is not the first time the IEBC has faced challenges in recruiting a CEO. In May 2019, the court had ordered the commission to re-advertise the position after a petition was filed by Henry Mutundu, who argued that the process was unconstitutional and discriminatory.
