Karua questions IEBC appointment of Moses Sunkuli as acting CEO

People's Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has questioned the decision by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to appoint Moses Sunkuli as acting CEO, raising concerns over procedure and transparency at the electoral body.

Karua faulted the commission for allegedly bypassing the two deputy CEOs in making what she noted was a temporary appointment.

She suggested the move "could point to deeper issues within the institution."

“Why would IEBC bypass the two deputies of the former CEO in this appointment which is temporary? Is there something we are missing...?” Karua said in post.

IEBC on Wednesday announced Sunkuli’s appointment as acting CEO following the exit of Marjan Hussein.

According to IEBC, Marjan's contract ended by mutual agreement with the Commission. 

It expressed deep gratitude for his time at the IEBC, where he first served as Deputy Commission Secretary/CEO from April 2015 before assuming the top role.

“It has been an honour to work with a professional, dedicated, and resilient team committed to the constitutional mandate of the IEBC,” it said in a statement.

Sunkuli was previously the Director of Electoral Operations at IEBC.

While the commission did not immediately provide a detailed justification for the choice of Sunkuli, the appointment has sparked debate among political actors and governance watchdogs, many of whom argue that internal succession norms should have been followed to avoid perceptions of bias or external influence.

Sunkuli will serve in the acting role for six months or until a substantive CEO is recruited and appointed. 

IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon said Sunkuli brings deep institutional knowledge and experience to the role, helping maintain continuity in operations.

He said he "brings extensive experience and internal institutional knowledge to this role."

The Commission noted it is fast-tracking a competitive process to recruit a permanent CEO/Commission Secretary. 

It emphasised that service delivery will remain a priority during the interim period. It underlined its focus on maintaining the highest standards of excellence in service delivery to the Kenyan people.

In acknowledging his service, the Commission described Marjan as a committed public servant who provided professional leadership during what it termed a critical phase in the institution’s operations.

“We particularly thank him for steering the Commission Secretariat during the period of absence of the Commissioners,” said IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon.