NAIROBI OCTOBER 21, 2016(CISA) – The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) selection panel has appointed Bernadette Musundi as its chairperson.
The announcement which also confirmed Prof Abdul El-Busaidy as the deputy was made following the panel’s first meeting today after commissioning by President Uhuru Kenyatta last week.
Musundi was selected by Kenya conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) last month to the nine-member team that will select a new electoral commission while Prof El-Busaidy is a representative of the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims.
The Catholic Church was among religious leaders who met at Ufungamano House in Nairobi on September 19 to select the representatives.
Other panelists include the National Council of Churches of Kenya General Secretary Rev Canon Peter Karanja and Citam presiding Bishop David Oginde who is representing the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya. Rajesh Rawal was named by the Hindu Council of Kenya but he withdrew last week.
The religious team picked the representatives following the signing into law of a Bill that will see the exit of the current IEBC officials.
The rest selected by the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) are lawyer Evans Monari and Mary Kigen for Jubilee, Olga Karani for Cord and retired Justice Tom Mbaluto.
During her acceptance remarks Musundi said that the team which has seven days to receive applications will “very transparently hire new commissioners for the electoral body”.
Musundi formally served as a Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Vice President and Ministry of Home Affairs, Heritage and Sports.
She twice served as the Executive Director of the Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organization (MYWO) and is currently the chair of the Strathmore University Council and the Human Resources Committee of the Board.
The selection panel will present 11 names to the President – two for the position of chairperson and nine for the commissioners. The President will pick seven from the 11 — one chairperson and six full-time commissioners — with the approval of Parliament.
On receipt of the names, the President will have seven days to select his preferred chairperson and six commissioners. The two Houses will have seven days to vet the nominees and approve the names before they are sworn into office.
