The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) says all foreign nationals who applied for the position of Commission Secretary and Chief Executive Officer were disqualified during the preliminary assessment.
The commission issued the clarification on October 30 after questions emerged over the inclusion of foreign names, including Nigerians, on a list of 304 applicants for the job.
IEBC said applicants’ national identification documents, citizenship status and academic credentials were checked before the final shortlist was prepared.
“Upon verification of national ID, citizenship and academic credentials, the final shortlist contains only Kenyan citizens. All foreign applicants were disqualified at the preliminary stage for not meeting the citizenship requirement,” the commission said.
It added that receiving applications from foreign nationals did not amount to an irregularity, since the vacancy had been advertised publicly through newspapers, its website and social media platforms.
The commission said it published the names of all 304 applicants in line with Articles 35 and 232 of the Constitution, which provide for transparency and fair competition in public recruitment.
Applicants were required to be Kenyan citizens, hold a degree recognised in Kenya, have at least five years of senior management experience and meet the leadership and integrity requirements under Chapter Six of the Constitution and the IEBC Act.
IEBC said it contracted KPMG Kenya to manage the recruitment process, including advertising the vacancy, receiving applications, conducting the initial assessment, verifying credentials and preparing the shortlist.
The final shortlist, published on October 28, has nine candidates. They include former Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission CEO Halakhe Waqo and National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse CEO Anthony Omerikwa.
The other candidates are Harley Mutisya, Edmund Odiwuor Malitt, Andrew Gitau Kimani, Mohamed Abdullahi Abdi, Edward Katama Ngeywa, Martina Wato Yattani and Nelly Ilongo.
Interviews are scheduled for November 12 and 13 as the commission seeks to fill the position ahead of the 2027 General Election. Deputy Commission Secretary for Operations Ruth Kulundu is currently serving in an acting capacity.
