Five months ago, Erastus Edung Ethekon walked into the 6th floor of Anniversary Towers to find what was effectively a ghost town. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had been operating without a plenary for over two years, leaving a pile of unresolved administrative grief and a deepening democratic deficit. On Monday, the Chairperson broke his silence, not with promises, but with a ledger of “operational achievements” that suggests the electoral giant has finally woken from its slumber.

Speaking from the Commission’s headquarters in Nairobi, Ethokon detailed a frantic period of institutional reconstruction aimed at preparing the ground for the 2027 General Election. The headline achievement? The successful conclusion of long-overdue by-elections in 12 wards and constituencies—including Banissa—which had been without representation since early 2023.

Clearing the Democratic Deficit

“Our first duty was to return the voice to the people,” Ethokon stated, noting that over 300,000 Kenyans had gone unrepresented in Parliament and County Assemblies due to the Commission’s lack of quorum. The Chairperson revealed that the clearing of this backlog was executed on a “lean budget,” a nod to the austerity measures currently gripping the Treasury.

For the average Kenyan, this is more than just administrative housekeeping. It means that constituents in areas like Banissa and vacant wards across the country can finally access the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) and county bursaries—vital lifelines for school fees and local infrastructure that had been frozen in the absence of elected leaders.

• By-Elections Conducted: 12 (MPs and MCAs)
• Voter Register Status: Preliminary audit initiated
• Staffing: Key Secretariat vacancies filled

The Boundaries ‘Hot Potato’

Perhaps the most significant—and politically sensitive—announcement was the formal commencement of the Boundaries Review process. The constitution mandates a review of electoral boundaries every 8 to 12 years, a deadline that is fast approaching. Ethokon, a former Turkana County Attorney known for his legal precision, emphasized that this process would be “data-driven and devoid of political gerrymandering.”

“We are aware that boundaries are emotive. They determine resource allocation and representation. We have deployed technical teams to begin the geospatial mapping, and public participation forums will roll out in January 2026,” he explained. This move is expected to raise political temperatures, as some constituencies risk being merged while others clamor to be split.

Rebuilding Trust from Zero

Ethokon’s tenure comes in the wake of the polarizing exit of his predecessor, Wafula Chebukati. The new Chair, who previously served as a specialist at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is keenly aware of the trust deficit. He highlighted the operationalization of a new “Integrity Directorate” within the IEBC, designed to vet internal processes before they become public scandals.

“We are moving from a commission that reacts to crises to one that anticipates them,” Ethokon noted. While details on the specific technology to be used in 2027 remain scarce, the Chairperson assured stakeholders that a comprehensive audit of the KIEMS kits and servers is underway to avoid the “technological opacity” of the past.

Analysts remain cautiously optimistic. “Ethokon has the technical chops and the legal background,” observes governance expert Jane Wanjiru. “But the real test isn’t clearing the backlog; it’s how he handles the politicians when the boundaries map is drawn.”

For now, the lights at Anniversary Towers are back on, and the road to 2027 has officially begun.