By Ongaga Ongaga
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has defended its recruitment process for a new Commission Secretary and Chief Executive Officer.
The commission said all foreign applicants were eliminated at the preliminary stage for failing to meet the citizenship requirement.
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IEBC said the final shortlist comprises only Kenyan citizens following verification of applicants’ national identity documents, citizenship status and academic qualifications.
In a statement issued in Nairobi, IEBC said it had received 304 applications for the position, attracting public discussion after publishing the names of all applicants.
The commission explained that the decision to publish the full list was guided by constitutional provisions on transparency and fair competition.
“To ensure professionalism and independence in this critical recruitment, the Commission contracted KPMG Kenya to manage the end-to-end recruitment process,” the statement said.
The consultancy was tasked with handling the advertisement, receipt of applications, long-listing, verification and shortlisting.
IEBC said the vacancy had been advertised openly through newspapers, its website and social media platforms, allowing interested candidates to submit applications.
It noted that the presence of foreign nationals among the applicants was not unusual, given the open nature of the advertisement.
“Any person can apply, but not everyone qualifies,” the commission said, adding that applicants who did not meet the mandatory requirements were eliminated during preliminary screening.
According to the commission, candidates were required to be Kenyan citizens, possess a degree recognised in Kenya, have at least five years of senior management experience and satisfy the integrity requirements under Chapter Six of the Constitution and the IEBC Act.
The commission maintained that citizenship was a mandatory qualification and not a consideration that could be waived during the recruitment process.
It further cited Articles 35 and 232 of the Constitution, which provide for access to information, transparency and fair competition in public service recruitment, as the basis for publishing the names of all 304 applicants.
IEBC assured the public that the recruitment exercise remained transparent, competitive and merit-based, dismissing concerns arising from the publication of applicants’ names.
“We urge Kenyans to disregard attempts to politicise a standard recruitment process,” the statement added.
The recruitment is intended to fill the position of Commission Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, one of the key administrative offices at the electoral agency.
