The National Liberal Party (NLP) has vehemently opposed the decisions of Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Suna East MP Junet Mohammed concerning the IEBC selection panel. NLP’s leadership, including Dr. Augustine Muli and Secretary General Omondi Koyoo, accused the pair of sidelining them by replacing their candidate, Augustine Muli, with Wiper’s Koki Muli, despite Muli’s victory with 16 votes to Koki Muli’s 7.
At a press conference in Nairobi, NLP officials denounced the alleged ‘strong-arm tactics’ and vowed to challenge the decision in court if necessary. They highlighted that the selection process was in line with directives from the Registrar of Political Parties and the IEBC’s notice issued on July 25, 2024. The election of Augustine Muli was held on July 26, 2024, at a Machakos hotel, where he was duly vetted and approved by the IEBC.
Dr. Muli emphasized, “We were shocked to see our candidate replaced by someone who was defeated. This is a blatant disregard for the democratic process.” He urged Kalonzo Musyoka and Junet Mohammed to honor the decisions made by the political parties that voted for Augustine Muli.
As the process to fill vacancies in the incapacitated IEBC begins, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has announced that the selection panel members will be gazetted by Tuesday, initiating the recruitment of new commissioners. This follows the agreement between President William Ruto and Azimio La Umoja Coalition’s Raila Odinga, alongside demands from Generation Z activists for the IEBC’s reconstitution.
The deadline for nominating panel members was July 30, 2024. The Parliamentary Service Commission, chaired by Speaker Wetangula, is responsible for receiving and submitting the names to President Ruto. The IEBC (Amendment) Act of 2023 stipulates a 14-day window for nominations.
The panel composition includes slots for the Parliamentary Service Commission, political parties, the Interreligious Council, ICPAK, and the Law Society of Kenya. The Institute of Certified Public Accountants-Kenya has nominated Tanui Andrew Kipkoech, while the PPLC has selected Evans Misati, Nicodemus Bore, and Augustus Muli.
Interreligious Council representatives, Nelson Makanda and Fatma Saman have also been nominated. The panel will have 90 days to propose new IEBC commissioners before dissolving. Previous panel members, including Vice Chairperson Charity Kisotu and members Bethuel Sugut, Euralia Atieno, and Benson Ngugi, had their work halted, with over 950 applicants vying for IEBC positions.
