Who are the seven men and women sworn-in to referee Kenya’s elections?
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials (from left) Erastus Edung Ethekon (Chairperson), Mary Karen Sorobit and Ann Njeri Nderitu.
The seven commissioners of the electoral commission, led by their chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon, were on Friday, July 11, sworn in by Chief Justice Martha Koome at the Supreme Court Buildings, Nairobi, kick-starting their six-year term in office.
But who are these men and women with the task of steering the elections?
Erastus Edung Ethekon (Chairperson)
The former Turkana County Attorney, who holds three Master’s degrees in Oil, Gas and Energy Law (University of Derby), Project Management (University of Liverpool), and Peace and Conflict Studies, takes over the role that was left vacant by Wafula Chebukati, who exited office in January 2023.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon before the justice and Legal Affairs Committee.
Mr Chebukati died in February 2025 after managing two General Elections of 2017 and the one in 2022.
Mr Ethekon also holds a post-graduate certificate in Implementation of International Human Rights Treaties, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom.
His career in law started in 2003 at the University of Nairobi, where he acquired his Bachelor of Laws degree.
He has served in 12 different offices as an employee since 1997, when he was first employed as an IEBC Registration and Presiding Officer in Nairobi.
Until his appointment, Mr Ethekon served in the African Union Development Agency–Nepad as the expert on Peace, Security and Development Nexus and Demographic Dividend Programmes, a position which he took over in 2024.
Mr Ethekon, 49, was born in Turkana County and had served between 2018 and 2024 in the same county as the County Attorney.
From 2007 to 2015, he served as a Programmes Management Specialist, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Enhanced Governance, Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding Unit in Nairobi.
He is a member of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), Alumni, Foreign and Commonwealth Chevening Fellowship, Pan African InterAction Leadership Network and Associate Fellow, East African Parliamentary Institute.
Ann Njeri Nderitu
Ms Nderitu, who will be turning 55 in August this year, was born in Nyandarua County.
Until her appointment as the commissioner, Ms Nderitu served as the Registrar of Political Parties and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), a position which she held since August 2018.
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Commissioner Anne Njeri Nderitu when she appeared before the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee.
She is a career public administrator with 23 years of experience.
Ms Nderitu holds a Master’s Degree in Linguistics from the University of Nairobi and a Bachelor of Education (Arts) Degree from the Moi University.
She also attended the Senior Management Course and the Strategic Leadership Development Programme at the Kenya School of Government.
She goes back home, having been in the IEBC for nearly a decade before taking up her Registrar of Political Parties job.
Her last appointment in the commission was as Head of Technical Electoral Training in IEBC, a role she took from 2016. Prior to that, she served for two years as the Director of Voter Education and Partnership in IEBC.
The nominee also served as the Manager of Partnerships within the commission from 2010 to 2015.
Moses Alutalala Mukhwana
Mr Mukhwana, 68, holds a Doctorate in Global Management from the Swiss Management Academy – Switzerland.
A trained teacher from Kagumo Teachers Training College, Dr Mukhwana graduated with a law degree from the University of Nairobi and a Post Graduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law.
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Commissioner Dr Moses Alutalala Mukhwana takes his oath when he appeared before the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee.
Until his appointment, he was the Lead Attorney and Managing Partner, Alutalala Mukhwana & Company Advocates.
Mary Karen Sorobit
Ms Sorobit, 56, who was born in Uasin Gishu, is a Certified Public Secretary of Kenya.
She holds a post-graduate diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law, and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi.
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Commissioner Mary Karen Sorobit when she appeared before the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee.
She served as the Deputy Executive Director and Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs at the Jubilee Party from 2017 to 2021. She has also served as the Assistant Counsel at the Judges and Magistrates Vetting Board.
Hassan Noor Hassan
Mr Noor, 67, was born in Mandera County and has served as District Officer, District Commissioner, and Provincial Commissioner between 1985 and 2009. He has also held other senior ranks in government before finally ending up as a Chief Administrative Secretary until 2022.
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Commissioner Haasan Noor Hassan takes his oath when he appeared before the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee.
He holds a Master of Arts degree in International Studies and Diplomacy from the Washington International University (2011), a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Political Science from the University of Nairobi (1980) and East African Advanced Certificate of Education (1979).
Francis Odhiambo Aduol
The professor, 74, was born in Kisumu County. He has a Doctorate Degree in Geodesy from the University of Stuttgart, Germany in 1988, and was previously the Vice Chancellor of the Technical University of Kenya (previously known as the Kenya Polytechnic).
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) nominee Prof Francis Odhiambo Aduol when he appeared before the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee at County Hall Nairobi on Saturday, May 31, 2025.
He also has a postgraduate degree in Surveying from the University of Nairobi, attained in 1981, a Postgraduate Degree in Economics from the University of Nairobi in 2012, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering from the University of Nairobi in 1976.
From May 2023 to date, he has been serving as a Professor in the School of Surveying and Spatial Sciences at the Technical University of Kenya.
Fahima Araphat Abdallah
At 33, Ms Abdallah, born in Lamu County, becomes the youngest Commissioner in the new team that has been sworn in on Friday.
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) nominee Fahima Araphat Abdallah when she appeared before the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee at County Hall Nairobi on Saturday, May 31, 2025.
She has a Master of Arts degree in Project Planning and Management from the University of Nairobi (2020) and a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting from Kenyatta University.