Ex-Anti Corruption Tsar, NACADA Boss in Race for IEBC top Job
The acting National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) boss Dr. Anthony Omerikwa and former Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Chief Executive Officer Halakhe Waqo are among nine candidates shortlisted for interviews for the position of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Commission Secretary and Chief Executive Officer.
Waqo will appear before the selection panel on November 12, 2026, at 10:30am, according to a shortlist released by the electoral commission on Wednesday.
The candidates were drawn from different counties, including Busia, Marsabit, Makueni, Homa Bay, Nairobi, Wajir, Trans Nzoia and Taita Taveta.
Among those listed are the former Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) CEO Halakhe Waqo and the acting National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) boss Dr. Anthony Omerikwa.
Harley Mutisya and Edmund Odiwuor Malitt, Andrew Gitau Kimani and Mohamed Abdullahi Abdi were also among those selected following a review of 304 valid applications received by the commission.
The other shortlisted candidates are Edward Katama Ngeywa, Martina Wato Yattani and Nelly Ilongo.
The shortlisted candidates will be interviewed on November 12 and 13, with the commission set to communicate the venue to each candidate individually.
The successful candidate will take over from Marjan Hussein Marjan, who held the position from 2022 until his resignation on February 3, 2026.
In a notice announcing the shortlist, the commission said the selection process took into account the need for inclusion, particularly gender, regional balance and the representation of persons with disabilities.
The recruitment process began with an advertisement published in print media and on the IEBC website on July 28, 2026. Applications closed on August 11 at 5pm, with the Commission receiving 304 valid applications.
The applications were assessed against criteria including Kenyan citizenship, submission of complete and valid application documents, compliance with Chapter Six requirements, and relevant professional experience commensurate with the scope and complexity of the position.
The commission warned that canvassing would lead to automatic disqualification, adding that the recruitment would be based on merit through fair and open competition.
The recruitment comes as the IEBC prepares for the 2027 General Election and seeks to fill the substantive position following a series of acting appointments.
In August, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon appointed Deputy Commission Secretary in charge of Operations Ruth Kulundu as Acting CEO and Commission Secretary for two months or until the recruitment of a substantive office holder was concluded.
Kulundu took over from Moses Ledama Sunkuli, whose six-month acting tenure had expired. Sunkuli, the Director of Electoral Operations, had been appointed to the position in February following the departure of former Commission Secretary and CEO Marjan Hussein.
The substantive CEO will oversee the day-to-day administration of the IEBC Secretariat, implement commission decisions, manage finances and coordinate preparations for the 2027 General Election.