Members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) selection panel have held their first meeting where they elected their Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.

Dr. Nelson Makanda and Ms. Lindah Kiome were elected as the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson respectively.

This meeting comes immediately after two panel members, Ms. Fatuma Saman and Ms Carolene Kituku, who were outside the country when the other seven members were sworn in on Monday 27th January, 2025, got sworn in on Friday 31st January, 2025.

In a press statement after the meeting, Dr Makanda, stated that for the next 85 days the panel through his leadership will ensure that they deliver on giving Kenyans the next Chairperson and Members of IEBC.

“Notably, only seven members of the panel took the oath of office as two of us; Ms Fatuma Saman and Ms Carolene Kituku were out of the country. However, the two have taken their oaths today, Friday 31 January 2025. This paved way for us, to hold our first sitting, to elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson from amongst its members,” he said.

According to Dr. Makanda, in accordance to the IEBC Act provisions, that the panel shall within seven days of its appointment invite applications from qualified persons and publish the names of all applicants and their qualifications in the Gazette, two papers of national circulation and on the website of the Parliamentary Service Commission, the exercise will take place on Saturday 1st February, 2024.

“In this regard, the Panel shall, tomorrow, Saturday 1st February, 2025, invite applications from qualified Kenyans for the positions of Chairperson and Members of the IEBC,” Dr. Makanda said in the press statement.

In his closing remarks the Chairperson assured Kenyans that the panel is committed to conducting the recruitment exercise in an impartial, fair and transparent way. He further stated that they will continuously issue updates to the country on the progress of the exercise.