President Dr William Samoei Ruto yesterday 10 June, 2025 ratified the appointment of Erastus Edung Ethekon as the new Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson.

An official Kenya gazette notice issued to the same effect states Ethekon will lead the electoral body for a period of six years.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 250 (2) as read with section 5 (2) of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act and Paragraph 4 of the First Schedule to the Act, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces appoint—Erastus Edung Ethekon to be the Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, for a period of six (6) years,” the notice read.

At the same time President Ruto appointed six members to serve as commissioners of the IEBC for a period of six years.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 250 (2) as read with section 5 (2) of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act and Paragraph 4 of the First Schedule to the Act, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces appoint—Ann Njeri Nderitu, Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, Mary Karen Sorobit, Hassan Noor Hassan, Francis Odhiambo Aduol, Fahima Araphat Abdaqllah, to be members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, for a period of six (6) years,” the notice stated.

Following the appointments, the chairperson and commissioners are required to take Oath of Office before assuming their duties.

After the oath of office is administered, the chairperson and commissioners formally assume their roles, and the IEBC becomes properly constituted and functional.

For Siaya this means official campaigns for the Ugunja Constituency by-election may be announced any time soon.

Already the field is bustling with over ten credible aspirants and the duel might prove to be one of the closest contested in Siaya County within recent times.