Narok Senator Ledama Olekina has poked holes in the list of individuals shortlisted for the position of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson, questioning their ability to bring about meaningful electoral reforms
Speaking in an interview on Monday, March 24, Olekina expressed his disappointment, arguing that the candidates were recycled from previous government roles rather than fresh leaders.
Olekina further lamented the lack of young people among those considered for the position, suggesting that the process may have been biased against younger candidates.
"I honestly believe that this is a completely wrong list of candidates to be able to spear this country into greater heights when it comes to the issue of elections.
"The characters who have been shortlisted make me wonder whether there were young people, but because people are against young people, they were not considered," he noted.
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Olekina also cast doubt on the shortlisted candidates’ ability to act independently, raising concerns about their ethical standing and integrity.
"So, to be honest with me, I see the same kind of characters who would be 'yes people'; people who cannot be independent and who cannot be guided by ethics and integrity," he added.
The IEBC Selection Panel shortlisted 11 candidates for the position of Chairperson, with the interviews scheduled to commence on Monday, March 24, at the College of Insurance in Nairobi's South C area.
The shortlisted candidates are Anne Atieno Amadi, the former Chief Registrar of the Judiciary; Charles Ayako Nyachae, who previously served as Chairperson of the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC) and as a judge at the East African Court of Justice and Joy Brenda Masinde-Mdivo, the current Chairperson of the Kenya Power Board and former head of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party's Electoral Disputes Resolution Committee.
Others are Robert Akumu Asembo, a notable city lawyer; Francis Kakai Kissinger, the former Deputy Chief Registrar of the Judiciary; Erastus Edung Ethekon, the former Turkana County Attorney and Jacob Ngwele Muvengei, the former Nairobi County Assembly Clerk.
Abdulqadir Lorut Ramadhan, a legal practitioner; Saul Simiyu Wasilwa, another legal practitioner; Lillian Wanjiku Manegene, also a legal practitioner; and Edward Katama Ngweywa, who has been identified as a person living with a disability also made to the final list.
The interview schedule begins with Abdulqadir Lorot Ramadhan, Anne Atieno Amadi, Charles Ayako Nyachae, and Edward Katama Ngeywa appearing before the panel.
On Tuesday, March 25, the panel will interview Erastus Edung Ethekon, Francis Kakai Kissinger, Jacob Ngwele Muvengei and Joy Brenda Masinde-Mdivo.
Finally, on Wednesday, March 26, the last set of interviews will feature Lilian Wanjiku Manegene, Robert Akumu Asembo and Saul Simiyu Wasilwa.
IEBC has been without leadership since the retirement of Wafula Chebukati and former commissioners Abdi Yakub Guliye and Boya Molu.
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