Nominee for IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati appears before the Selection Panel/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 4 – The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Selection Panel has downplayed rising criticism of its choice for Chairman and Commissioners of the new-look polls body.
In a statement, Chairperson of the nine-member panel Bernadette Musundi stated that the selection process was elaborate and open.
She said that the recruitment included publishing of the long and short list of those that had qualified to proceed to the various stages of the interviews.
“Kenyans will recall that in accordance with the law, the selection process entailed advertisement for the positions of chairperson and member, followed by long-listing and thereafter short listing of applicants to be invited for interview,” she stated.
“As required by the law, the Selection Panel published the names of all persons shortlisted for the positions and invited the public to submit any memoranda on the suitability or otherwise of the shortlisted candidates.”
She indicated further that the public had been given seven days to submit memoranda they might have had regarding the candidates.
“The panel wishes to state that these allegations were not brought to the attention of the Selection Panel by any person and were, therefore, not in the knowledge of the panel during the selection process,” she said.
The panel comprised mostly religious leaders, Jubilee and Cord representatives, as well as a secretariat provided for by the Public Service Commission.
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