Wamuzi News Ke
The IEBC selection panel maintained its unyielding stance during Wednesday’s final round of interviews, subjecting the last candidates to intense scrutiny in the search for Kenya’s next electoral boss. Among those in the hot seat was seasoned lawyer Robert Akumu Asembo, who found himself under fire over past legal troubles that cast a shadow over his bid for the top job.
Asembo, one of the last contenders vying for the powerful IEBC chairmanship just two years before the next general election, faced a relentless barrage of questions on March 26. The panel, led by Nelson Makanda, wasted no time in drilling into his legal entanglements, raising concerns about his suitability for a role that demands absolute integrity.
At one tense moment, the Starehe Boys’ Centre alumnus was directly asked whether his ongoing court battles posed a glaring conflict of interest, potentially violating Article 6 of the Constitution, which mandates ethical leadership.
“What happens if you’re appointed, and one of these cases leads to your removal? The country would be forced to search for a new chair all over again,” a panelist bluntly stated.
Asembo, visibly unsettled, fought back, insisting that some of his legal disputes had been settled amicably and pledging to provide evidence. However, his assurances did little to sway the skeptical panel, which cautioned him about the potential fallout should any pending case take a turn against him.
Feeling cornered, Asembo pushed back, accusing the panel of unfairly condemning him before due process had run its course.
“Under the rule of law, you shouldn’t judge me so harshly. If I lose this opportunity and later prove my innocence, will that loss be undone? Justice must apply to both my accusers and me,” he argued, making a last-ditch appeal for fairness.
But Asembo wasn’t the only candidate forced to defend their past. On Tuesday, March 25, Deputy Chief Registrar Kakai Kissinger also found herself under intense questioning over a decade-old controversy.
The panel grilled her on why her name appeared in Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) documents and why she had once been recommended for prosecution over corruption allegations.
Kissinger, attempting to defuse the situation, claimed she had been a victim of judicial politics and had chosen to forgive those who wronged her. However, the panel wasn’t satisfied, pressing her for a clear explanation on why her name remained entangled in cases linked to judicial reforms.
With the selection panel showing no mercy, the race for the next IEBC chair has become a battlefield of credibility, forcing candidates to fight not just for the position—but for their reputations.
