Kenya got fresh electoral leadership as Erastus Edung Ethekon grabbed the top job at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. The new chairman took his oath alongside six commissioners at the Supreme Court Buildings on Friday. Chief Justice Martha Koome ran the swearing ceremony that officially launched their six-year terms. The team includes Ann Njeri Nderitu, Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor Hassan, Francis Odhiambo Aduol and Fahima Araphat Abdallah. President William Ruto had to reissue gazette notices after court drama threatened the appointments.
The High Court judges created a legal mess by canceling earlier gazette publications from June. Justices Roselyne Aburili, John Chigiti and Bahati Mwamuye ruled that the initial notices broke court orders from May. Ruto quickly fixed the paperwork with fresh gazette notices dated July 10 to get everything back on track. The court refused to dump the actual appointments and said the problem was just bad paperwork. The judges made clear that the seven officials deserved their jobs despite the administrative bungling.
The High Court judges created a legal mess by canceling earlier gazette publications from June. Justices Roselyne Aburili, John Chigiti and Bahati Mwamuye ruled that the initial notices broke court orders from May. Ruto quickly fixed the paperwork with fresh gazette notices dated July 10 to get everything back on track. The court refused to dump the actual appointments and said the problem was just bad paperwork. The judges made clear that the seven officials deserved their jobs despite the administrative bungling.
