By Peter Ochieng

President Willliam Samoei Ruto on Monday morning signed the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) amendment bill into law, setting in motion the filling of vacant positions at the poll’s body.

The bill was last week considered and passed by the Senate.

“The Bill — which was considered and passed by the Senate last week — sought to alter the composition of the Selection Panel that oversees the filling of vacant positions in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission,” read in part a dispatch from State House, Nairobi.

With President Ruto’s signature, the allocation of the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) slots in the IEBC commissioners’ selection panel reduces from the current four to two.

“It further allows the Political Parties Liaison Committee to each nominate one member to the Panel. This translates to a Panel that will consist of one member each drawn from the Public Service Commission, Political Parties Liaison Committee and the Law Society of Kenya.”

Additionally, the Parliamentary Service Commission and the Inter-religious Council of Kenya will each have two members. That makes it a total of 7 members.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries is currently under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Marjan Hussein Marjan after the exit of former Chairman Wafula Chebukati, and commissioners Boya Molu and Professor Abdi Guliye, whose six-year term ended last week.

Former IEBC Vice Chair Juliana Cherera, and former Commissioners Justus Nyong’aya and Francis Wanderi resigned from the Commission following their suspension and the formation of a tribunal to investigate them.

They disowned William Ruto’s presidential win during the August 2022 polls. Another Commissioner, Irene Masit is fighting to save her job. She was suspended alongside the resigned officers.

She chose not to resign. She is arguing her case at the tribunal headed by Judge Aggrey Muchelule, represented by her lawyer Donald Kipkorir.

If the tribunal recommends her removal from office, the new selection panel will have a duty to select six new commissioners and the chairperson.