Why IEBC published names of foreigners who applied for CEO role

Why IEBC published names of foreigners who applied for CEO job. [File, Standard]

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has defended the publication of names of foreign nationals who applied for its Commission Secretary/Chief Executive Officer position,

According to the commission, the vacancy was advertised openly in newspapers, on its website and across its social media platforms, allowing people of different nationalities to submit applications.

However, it maintained that applying for the position did not automatically mean an applicant met the requirements, noting that Kenyan citizenship was a mandatory qualification.

In a statement, IEBC said all foreign applicants were disqualified at the preliminary stage after verification established that they did not meet the citizenship requirement.

The commission explained that it published the full list of applicants to comply with Articles 35 and 232 of the Constitution, which provide for access to information, transparency and fair competition in public service.

According to IEBC, candidates were required to be Kenyan citizens, hold a degree recognised in Kenya, have at least five years of senior management experience and meet the integrity requirements under Chapter Six of the Constitution and the IEBC Act.

The commission said the final shortlist comprised only Kenyan citizens whose national identification documents, citizenship status and academic credentials had been verified.

The clarification follows public discussion over the inclusion of foreign nationals in the list of applicants published by the commission.

IEBC maintained that the recruitment remained transparent, competitive and merit-based, urging the public not to politicise what it described as a standard recruitment process.