The National Assembly has committed to fast-tracking approval of a supplementary budget to enable the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to carry out crucial by-elections, resume voter registration, and undertake other constitutional duties.
Speaking on Sunday, July 20, 2025, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Kanduyi, Bungoma County, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula said the newly appointed IEBC team deserves full support and adequate resources as it embarks on its mandate.
“I assured the public that the National Assembly will fast-track approval of the supplementary budget to allocate necessary funds for this important exercise,” Wetang’ula said.
IEBC Chairperson Erustus Edung Ethekon and six commissioners officially took office on Friday, July 11, 2025, ending a two-year vacancy that had paralyzed key operations at the Commission.
In his first public address, Ethekon announced that the Commission’s immediate focus will be conducting by-elections in areas left without representation due to deaths, resignations, and court decisions.
“For over two and a half years, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has operated without a chairperson and members – a constitutional crisis that has left many Kenyans without representation,” said Ethekon.
Currently, 23 electoral areas are awaiting by-elections. These include one Senate seat, six Members of Parliament, and 16 Members of County Assembly.
Ethekon further announced that voter registration will resume after official gazettement in August 2025, as part of the Commission’s early preparations for the 2027 General Election.
On boundary delimitation, the Chairperson said IEBC will first seek an advisory opinion from the Supreme Court before beginning the exercise. The delimitation process is expected to reshape electoral boundaries across the country.
“As the Commission embarks on its roadmap for the August 10, 2027 General Election, it assures the public of its preparedness to deliver inclusive, credible, and transparent electoral outcomes in strict adherence to the rule of law,” Ethekon said.
Wetang’ula called on political leaders to refrain from interfering with the Commission’s independence and urged them to allow the team to work without undue pressure or influence.
“The IEBC is constitutionally mandated to operate independently. Not even the President can direct its actions. I urge leaders to keep politics out of the Commission’s work,” Wetang’ula added.
He encouraged all eligible Kenyans, especially the youth, to register as voters and take advantage of a recent government directive easing the process of acquiring national ID cards.