Milimani Law Courts
The High Court has issued conservatory orders blocking the vetting of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson and commissioners.
The ruling was issued on Monday by Justice Lawrence Mugambi following petitions filed by two individuals, Kelvin Omondi and activist Boniface Mwangi, challenging the transparency and constitutionality of the nomination process.
The suspension will remain in effect until May 29, 2025, when the high court is expected to issue a ruling on the legality of the IEBC nominations.
The petitioners are contesting the nomination of Hassan Noor Hassan as an IEBC commissioner.
They argue that Noor’s name was not included in the original shortlist published by the IEBC selection panel, making his nomination procedurally unlawful.
“We raise the issue with the nomination of Hassan Noor, who was not among the candidates shortlisted by the panel. His name was added after the deadline, without public notice,” said Lawyer Muite.
The petitioners warned that proceeding with the vetting without addressing these issues could damage the electoral commission’s credibility and destabilise future electoral processes.
President Ruto, on May 8, nominated Erastus Edung Ethekon as the next IEBC chairperson, while Anne Nderitu, Moses Mukwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor, Francis Odhiambo, and Fahima Abdalla were nominated as commissioners.
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