Former Mombasa Mayor Taib Ali Taib will be the first candidate to appear before the Bernadette Musundi led Selection Panel, which has been holding its sittings at the County Hall/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 18 – The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Selection Panel is on Monday expected to commence interviews for 10 applicants seeking to replace Issack Hassan as the chairperson of the poll agency.
Former Mombasa Mayor Taib Ali Taib will be the first candidate to appear before the Bernadette Musundi led Selection Panel, which has been holding its sittings at the County Hall.
Former Judicial Service Commissioner (JSC) Florence Muoti Mwangangi and advocates Wanyonyi Wafula Chebukati, Tukero Ole Kina and Lucas Leperes Ole Naikuni will follow thereafter according to a schedule released by the Panel.
Apart from serving as the mayor of the Coastal city, Taib also runs his private law firm and recently was in the six-member Commission of Inquiry set up by President Uhuru Kenyatta to inquire into claims for dissolution of Makueni County Government.
Mwangangi on the other hand was the former LSK representative at the JSC.
Apart from being the Managing Partner at Cootow & Associates Advocates, Wanyonyi Chebukati represented former Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) chairperson Phillip Kinisu.
The Panel had initially shortlisted Devolution expert Dr Mutakha Kangu, Roseline Odhiambo-Odede, who was a member of the now defunct Judges and Magistrates Vetting Board , former Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commissioner Margaret Wambui Ngugi Shava and advocates David Kiprop Malakwen and David Mukii Mereka who will now be interviewed on Tuesday.
The Selection Panel was accused of almost scuttling the exercise after it was forced to re-advertise for the position of chairman just two days to the start of the interviews scheduled for November 28.
After conducting interviews, the Selection Panel shall select two persons qualified to be appointed as IEBC Chairperson and nine others for appointment as commissioners of the electoral body whose names will be forwarded to President Uhuru Kenyatta for consideration.
Under the law, the President is required to nominate one person for appointment as the Chairperson and six others for appointment as commissioners.
The President shall, within seven days of receipt of the names forward the list of nominees to the National Assembly for approval in accordance with the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act.
He shall thereafter, within seven days of receipt of the names approved by the National Assembly, by notice in the Gazette, appoint the Chairperson and the members of the Commission.
The Selection Panel shall stand dissolved upon the requisite appointments being made.
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