Kenyan President William Ruto has formally appointed a new chairperson and six commissioners to lead the country’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), according to an official legal notice issued late Thursday, July 10, 2025. The appointments restore leadership to a critical institution that has been vacant since 2023 and come as the country begins early preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Although the next national vote is still over two years away, Ruto faces mounting pressure from widespread youth-led protests over rising living costs, corruption, and incidents of police brutality. The new electoral team will serve a six-year term and is expected to be sworn in on Friday.
Ruto had previously suspended four IEBC commissioners in December 2022 after they publicly disavowed the results of the presidential election, claiming the vote tallying process lacked transparency. The matter was taken to the Supreme Court, which ultimately upheld Ruto’s victory and dismissed the commissioners’ allegations.
Since the expiration of the former chairperson’s and two remaining commissioners’ terms in 2023, the commission had been operating without its full leadership. The selection of a new team, which involved a public interview process and presidential approval, was delayed by several legal challenges that were only resolved on Thursday when a high court dismissed the petitions.
The appointments are seen as pivotal in restoring public confidence in Kenya’s electoral process, which has long been a flashpoint for political tension and unrest.
