Kenya officially inaugurated a new chairperson and six commissioners to its electoral body on Friday, July 11, 2025, restoring leadership to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) after a prolonged vacancy. Their appointment, approved by President William Ruto just hours earlier, comes amid widespread demands for electoral reform and accountability in a nation long marred by controversial and often violent elections.
The newly appointed officials, who will serve six-year terms, were sworn in at a ceremony presided over by Chief Justice Martha Koome, as broadcast on national television.
“You are taking office at a time when our nation is undergoing a period of great reckoning, a moment when Kenyans, especially our young people, are expressing discontent, are expressing frustrations with public institutions,” Koome stated during the swearing-in.
Although Kenya’s next general election is scheduled for 2027, pressure has been mounting on the government following a wave of youth-led demonstrations over surging living costs, corruption, and heavy-handed policing. The swift confirmation and installation of the IEBC members fulfill one of the central demands from protestors who took to the streets last year calling for electoral integrity.
The new commission is led by Erastus Ethekon, a respected human rights lawyer and former legal adviser to Turkana County. He has also served with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the U.N. Resident Coordinator’s Office in Kenya.
Following his swearing-in, Ethekon pledged to uphold the democratic will of the people.
“My first and foremost loyalty is to the people of Kenya who hold the sovereign power,” he affirmed.
“I wish to assure Kenyans that their voices will not only be heard, but they will also count during the coming elections.”
The IEBC had been without a chairperson and full panel of commissioners since 2023, following the expiration of previous members’ terms. This leadership void was preceded by the controversial suspension of four commissioners by President Ruto in December 2022, after they disputed the results of that year’s presidential election. The matter was adjudicated by the Supreme Court, which upheld Ruto’s victory and dismissed claims of irregularities in the vote tallying process.
Efforts to replace the suspended and outgoing officials had been stalled by a series of legal challenges. However, a High Court ruling on Thursday, July 10, 2025, cleared the final hurdle, allowing the appointments to proceed.
The reconstitution of the electoral commission is widely viewed as a step toward restoring public trust and preparing the groundwork for credible elections in 2027.
