All you need to know about IEBC chairperson nominee Erastus Edung Ethekon
President William Ruto has nominated Erastus Edung Ethekon as the new Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
This follows an announcement by the Head of Public Service Felix Koskei on Thursday, May 8, 2025 after Ruto received the report of the IEBC Selection Panel on Tuesday, May 7, 2025.
The Head of State also nominated six IEBC commissioners from various regions, among them Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu (Nyandarua) and Moses Alutalala Mukhwana (Kakamega).
Other nominees include: Mary Karen Sorobit (Uasin Gishu), Hassan Noor Hassan (Mandera), Francis Odhiambo Aduol (Kisumu), and Fahima Araphat Abdallah (Lamu).
“In accordance with our supreme law, the nominations have been transmitted to the National Assembly for consideration and approval by Parliament, in accordance with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act as well as the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act (Chapter 7F, Laws of Kenya),” Koskei announced.
“In recognition of the indispensable role of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) as one of the cornerstone institutions of our democracy and a custodian of electoral management, His Excellency the President has urged the National Assembly to prioritise the consideration of these nominations,” he added.
Work Experience
Prior to his appointment, Ethekon has been working as a consultant partner at the Northern Consulting Solution and E. Ethekon & Co. Advocates for the last 11 years.
The nominee also worked with the county government of Turkana as a county attorney in the office of the County Attorney from 2018 to 2024.
Further, he worked as a programme advisor at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Regional Service Centre for Africa & African Union(AU) in Addis Ababa in 2016.
He also worked as a programs management specialist at the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) between 2007 and 2015.
Education background
Edung holds a Master’s of Law degree in oil and gas energy law from the University of Derby in the United Kingdom where he graduated in 2016.
He has a Master of Science degree in project management from Universidad Jaume I in Valencia, Spain.
Similarly, he holds a postgraduate certificate in the implementation of international human rights treaties from the Kenya School of Government.
He also holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi.
Predecessor
He replaces the late Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson Wafula Chebukati, who died at a Nairobi hospital in February 2025 following a long illness, aged 63.
Chebukati was appointed IEBC Chairperson by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in January 2017 with his six-year term coming to a conclusion on January 17, 2023.
He took over the top job at the electoral commission from Ahmed Issack Hassan.
