The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has shortlisted former Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Chief Executive Officer Halakhe Waqo and National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) Chief Executive Officer Anthony Omerikwa for the position of IEBC CEO.
In a shortlist published on Wednesday, October 28, the commission named nine candidates who will proceed to the interview stage following a review of applications for the senior position.
Besides Waqo and Omerikwa, the shortlisted candidates are Harley Mutisya, Edmund Odiwuor Malitt, Andrew Gitau Kimani, Mohamed Abdullahi Abdi, Edward Katama Ngeywa, Martina Wato Yattani and Nelly Ilongo.
The commission explained that its selection process considered diversity and representation while ensuring the candidates met the requirements for the position.
“This final shortlist presented has taken into consideration the above requirements, layered with the need to drive inclusion across sensitivities such as gender, regional balance, differently-abled persons, etc., to the extent reasonable and possible based on the applicant pool,” IEBC wrote.
The nine candidates were selected from 304 valid applications submitted after the commission advertised the vacancy on July 28.
The application window closed on August 11, after which the commission reviewed the submissions and assessed applicants against the requirements for the position.
IEBC said gender balance, regional representation and the inclusion of persons with disabilities were among the considerations taken into account during the shortlisting exercise.
Omerikwa has been at the helm of NACADA for almost three years, having been appointed CEO in November 2023. Waqo, on the other hand, served as the inaugural Secretary and CEO of the EACC between 2013 and 2019, completing a six-year term.
The IEBC has scheduled interviews for November 12 and 13, with the nine shortlisted candidates allocated individual time slots running from 9am into the afternoon.
Those invited for the interviews will be required to present original identification documents, including national identity cards or passports, alongside their academic and professional certificates, transcripts and other relevant supporting documents.
Candidates must also submit clearance certificates from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and a registered Credit Reference Bureau.
The electoral commission has warned that any attempt to canvass for the position will result in automatic disqualification. It added that only candidates who made the shortlist would be contacted regarding the next stage of the recruitment process.
The recruitment exercise is aimed at filling the IEBC's top administrative position substantively ahead of the 2027 General Election. Deputy Commission Secretary for Operations Ruth Kulundu has been serving as acting CEO since August 5.
