Former EACC CEO Halakhe Waqo among 9 shortlisted for IEBC CEO job

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 28 — Former Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Chief Executive Officer Halakhe Waqo is among nine candidates shortlisted for interviews for the position of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Commission Secretary and Chief Executive Officer.

Waqo will appear before the selection panel on November 12, 2026, at 10:30am, according to a shortlist released by the electoral commission on Wednesday.

The interviews will be conducted over two days, November 12 and 13, with the commission stating that candidates will be informed individually of their interview venue.

Other candidates shortlisted for the position are Anthony Omerikwa (Busia), Harley Mutisya (Makueni), Edmund Odiwuor Malitt (Homabay), Andrew Gitau Kimani (Nairobi), Mohamed Abdullahi Abdi (Wajir), Edward Katama Ngeywa (Trans Nzoia), Martina Wato Yattani (Marsabit) and Nelly Ilongo (Taita Taveta).

The candidates will be required to present original identification documents, academic and professional certificates, transcripts, testimonials and clearance certificates from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Kenya Revenue Authority, Higher Education Loans Board and a registered Credit Reference Bureau.

The commission warned that canvassing would lead to automatic disqualification, adding that the recruitment would be based on merit through fair and open competition.

The recruitment comes as the IEBC prepares for the 2027 General Election and seeks to fill the substantive position following a series of acting appointments.

In August, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon appointed Deputy Commission Secretary in charge of Operations Ruth Kulundu as Acting CEO and Commission Secretary for two months or until the recruitment of a substantive office holder was concluded.

Kulundu took over from Moses Ledama Sunkuli, whose six-month acting tenure had expired. Sunkuli, the Director of Electoral Operations, had been appointed to the position in February following the departure of former Commission Secretary and CEO Marjan Hussein.

The substantive CEO will oversee the day-to-day administration of the IEBC Secretariat, implement commission decisions, manage finances and coordinate preparations for the 2027 General Election.