NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 11 — Commissioner Fahima Abdallah has been elected Vice Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), deputizing the newly-installed Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon.
The Commission’s 288th Plenary Meeting held Friday, July 11, in Nairobi — the first sitting of the reconstituted electoral agency following the swearing-in of its seven members earlier in the day — confirmed Abdallah’s election.
IEBC Chairperson Ethekon, who presided over the meeting, congratulated Fahima on her election and reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to delivering credible, transparent, and peaceful elections.
“The Commission takes this opportunity to congratulate Commissioner Fahima on her election,” read a statement issued by Ethekon.
“We assure members of the public and our stakeholders that the Commission remains steadfast in its commitment to strengthening Kenya’s democracy.”
The Commisioned named a Vice Chairperson hours after Chief Justice Martha Koome administered the oath of office to Ethekon and six commissioners—Ann Njeri Nderitu, Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor Hassan, Francis Odhiambo Aduol, and Fahima Abdallah—at a ceremony held at the Supreme Court.
Troubled electoral history
In her address, CJ Koome issued a stark reminder of Kenya’s troubled electoral history and challenged the new Commission to restore public trust and uphold constitutionalism.
“Our painful history of disputed elections, cycles of violence, and the loss of life and property is a stark reminder that elections are not mere political events—they are matters of national security, economic stability, and human rights,” Koome said.
She underscored the urgent need for electoral integrity ahead of the 2027 General Election, calling on the commissioners to act independently and resist external interference.
“Let the first word in your name—Independent—be your constant guide,” she said, adding that the country is “crying out for integrity, transparency, accountability, and justice.”
The newly reconstituted Commission takes office amid a deepening crisis of public confidence in state institutions, with CJ Koome urging the commissioners to “rise above this crisis of confidence” and deliver an electoral process that is “peaceful, credible, transparent, and verifiable.”
Until Thursday, its fate remained uncertain over an interim court order restraining the inaguration of new commissioners.
A three-judge bench however lifted the order and required President William Ruto to regularize the appointments through a fresh gazettement.
