Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission


The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 2011 by the Constitution of Kenya. The Commission is responsible for conducting or supervising referenda and elections to any elective body or office established by the Constitution, and any other elections as prescribed by an Act of Parliament. It was created in a provision of the 2010 constitution and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act. Its mandate includes "the continuous registration of voters and revision of the voter's roll, the delimitation of constituencies and wards, the regulation of political parties process, the settlement of electoral disputes, the registration of candidates for elections, voter education, the facilitation of the observation, monitoring and evaluation of elections, the regulation of money spent by a candidate or party in respect of any election, the development of a code of conduct for candidates and parties, the monitoring of compliance with legislation on nomination of candidates by parties."

Membership

The Commission is made up of seven commissioners and a CEO appointed by them. The commissioners are appointed by the President of Kenya and confirmed by the Kenyan Parliament. Each member serves a six-year term. By law, no Commissioner can be a member of a political party, and at least four votes are required for any official Commission action.

Commissioners

Current

Source:

Immediate former

National office

The IEBC national office is located on the 6th Floor of Anniversary Towers, University Way in Nairobi.

Constituency offices

The Commission currently has offices in every constituency and county in the country.

Key roles

For the Kenyan general election, 2013, IEBC has appointed individuals to the following positions:

Returning Officer

These are individuals appointed by the commission for the purpose of conducting an election or a referendum at the County Level. County Returning Officers are assisted by Deputy County Returning Officers.

Constituency Returning Officer

These are individuals appointed by the commission for the purpose of conducting an election or a referendum at the Constituency-Level.
Constituency returning officers will be assisted by a Deputy Constituency Returning Officer.

Elections carried out

The Commission has the constitutional mandate to conduct and supervise referenda and elections to any elective body or office established by the Constitution, and any other elections as prescribed by an Act of Parliament.

By-Elections

AreaPositionDate
Makueni CountyMember of Senate26 July 2013
Kajiado West Constituency, Kajiado CountyMember of County Assembly26 October 2017
Bura Constituency, Tana River CountyMember of County Assembly26 October 2017
Bobasi Constituency, Kisii CountyMember of County Assembly26 October 2017
Turkana Central Constituency, Turkana CountyMember of County Assembly26 October 2017
Kitutu Chache SouthMember of Parliament7 November 2017
Masalani, Garissa countyMember of County Assembly7 November 2017
Bogichora, NyamiraMember of County Assembly7 November 2017

General Elections

DatePositionPresidential Winner
4 March 2013
  • President
  • Member of Senate
  • Member of Parliament
  • Woman Representative
  • County Governor
  • Member of County Assembly
Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta
8 August 2017
  • President
  • Member of Senate
  • Member of Parliament
  • Woman Representative
  • County Governor
  • Member of County Assembly
    		• Presidential Results Nullified by Supreme Court
    26 October 2017
  • President
    		• Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta
    The commission organised the general election on 4 March 2013. The presidential election was petitioned at the Supreme Court of Kenya.
    The IEBC's handling of the Kenyan general election, 2017, has drawn scrutiny. The Supreme Court of Kenya invalidated the first Presidential election's results due to voting irregularities. Former IEBC Commissioner Roselyn Akombe also issued a statement declaring that the second Presidential election would not be a fair election. Just before making this statement, she resigned and fled to the United States out of fear for her life.