The race to replace Ezra Chiloba as electoral commission chief executive officer has heated up, with 10 applicants, including three women, making it to the shortlist.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on Thursday published the full list of people who wished to take up the big job, including two who submitted their applications out of time.
The deadline for the said vacancy advertised on May 21 was June 3 at 5pm.
Shortlisted candidates include Dr Mabonga Joel Lusweti, Mr Nakitari Okuku Humphrey, Mr Aura Zephania Okeyo, Ms Kariuki Nancy Wanjiku, and Mr Kioko Paul Christopher Kimali.
Others are Mr Marjan Marjan Hussein, Dr Murigi Elishiba Muthoni, Dr Tarus Benjamin Kipchumba, Ms Mwasi Anne Kerubo and Dr Khalid Billow.
ACTING CEO
Dr Lusweti is a former chief executive at the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa).
Mr Okeyo is currently a manager, elections project at USAid. He has contested for this post and made it to the shortlist several times and he is hoping that lady luck will smile at him this time.
In 2016, for instance, he scored the highest marks of 80 percent in the interviews, but did not get the job.
Dr Hussein is the deputy CEO at IEBC and is currently serving in acting capacity in the position he is contesting for.
Mr Nakitari previously served as the Kisumu County secretary before unsuccessfully trying his hand in politics when he contested for the governor’s post in Busia County.
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Ms Wanjiku is a former manager of voter registration at IEBC but has previously served as the regional elections coordinator in Kiambu. She is currently the county elections manager in Mombasa.
Dr Tarus was a candidate for this post in the last recruitment and also made it to the shortlist but the job was taken by Dr Chiloba.
The 10 candidates are set to do interviews between June 24 and 26.
“All shortlisted applicants are advised to bring along their original and a copy of their academic and professional certificates, testimonials, and clearance certificates from KRA, Helb and ODPP,” the IEBC announcement reads in part.
Renowned children’s book author and university lecturer Prof Stanley Egara Kabaji also applied for this vacancy but failed to make it to the shortlist.
Mr Chiloba was sent on leave in April last year to pave way for an audit of the procurement for election materials.
He was fired in October 2018 even though he still has a pending court case challenging the manner in which he was kicked out.