SUPKEM Endorses IEBC Nominees, Urges Parliament to Expedite Vetting Process

By Jameson Mutua 

SUPKEM National Chairman Al-Hajj Hassan Ole Naado addressing the press in Nairobi on Monday. SUPKEM has endorsed the recent nomination of the IEBC commissioners. 

The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) has endorsed the recent nomination of the Chairperson and Commissioners of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), urging the National Assembly to fast-track the vetting process and facilitate the timely reconstitution of the electoral body.

In a press statement issued on Monday in Nairobi, SUPKEM National Chairman Al-Hajj Hassan Ole Naado praised the Selection Panel’s work, calling it a significant milestone in strengthening Kenya’s democracy. The Council expressed full support for both the process and the outcome of the Selection Panel, to which it had contributed members through the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya (IRCK).

“SUPKEM unreservedly supports the Selection Panel’s recommendations and the President’s nominations currently before the National Assembly,” the statement read. “We are confident that the National Assembly will provide the essential additional layer of vetting and approval.”

The Council warned that further delays in reconstituting the IEBC could negatively affect pending by-elections, the long-overdue boundaries review, and preparations for the next general elections, which are expected to be highly competitive.

SUPKEM also raised concerns about the increasingly toxic political rhetoric surrounding the nominations. It criticized remarks by some senior politicians who have publicly questioned the integrity and competence of the nominees, particularly the nominee for IEBC Chairperson.

“It is absurd to call for further political consultations after a process that was already widely participatory and consultative,” SUPKEM stated, noting that critics of the nominations had representatives on the Selection Panel. “Public interest is not served by endless consultations.”

Recalling Kenya’s troubled electoral history, particularly the 2007/2008 post-election crisis, the Council cautioned against undermining the IEBC before it is fully constituted. SUPKEM urged all stakeholders and Kenyans to support the nominees and work toward restoring public confidence in the electoral commission.

The Council also proposed future reforms to the selection process, suggesting that the Selection Panel present only one nominee per position, similar to the Judicial Service Commission’s method of appointing judges. This, it argued, would reduce perceptions of political interference and help reinforce trust in the system.

Last week, President William Ruto nominated Erastus Edung Ethekon as the new IEBC Chairperson, alongside six commissioners, including Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu, Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, and Mary Karen Sorobit.

The other nominees are Hassan Noor Hassan, Francis Odhiambo Aduol, and Fahima Araphat Abdallah.


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