The panel seeking to fill the eight vacant positions at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is facing an arduous task of knocking off at least 107 doctorate degree holders from the pool of 748 applicants.
It is a record feat in the history of public service jobs in Kenya and for an institution with a high turn-over of commissioners owing to the nature of the business they undertake.
Of the 107 doctorate holders who applied for the jobs, 24 of them are serving professors and the applicants included architects, engineers and medical doctors, underscoring the high stakes in the eight positions.
The professors are Abdi Yakub, Barack Owuor, Evans Mochoge, Clara Momanyi, Dickson Ondiek, Duke Omondi and Eric Masinde.
Others are Wafula Okumu, Fugich Wako, Francis Indoshi, Kizito Nyongesa, Harrison Maithya, Omolo Ndiege and Hussein Golicha. Also in the race are Johnson Masai, Joseph Ongeri, Joshua Kwonyike, Kithaka wa Mberia, Lawford Ndege, Ngotho wa Kariuki, Patrick Mwangi, Peter Mageto, Reuben Marwanga and Stephen Mbogoh.
The constitution does not prescribe academic qualifications for IEBC commissioners, but it provides for those who cannot be commissioners. They include people who have held office or stood for election as MP or MCA and members of governing bodies of political parties.
The IEBC Act, however, demands a degree qualification for applicants who should have experience in electoral, management, finance, governance, public administration and law and must comply with elements of Chapter Six of the Constitution on leadership and integrity.
The constitution also forbids serving state officers such as judges and magistrates, members of independent commissions, cabinet secretaries and principal secretaries from accessing the top IEBC jobs.
The law notwithstanding, a number of state officers, among them Judge Anyara Emukule and National Police Service Commission member Murshid Abdalla applied to become commissioners. Emukule had also applied for the chairperson's position but he was not shortlisted.
Current and former top IEBC staff, senior civil servants, commissioners of non-independent commissions, top civil society activists, lawyers, members of the clergy dominate the list of the applicants.
Immaculate Kassait, the current IEBC director of voter registration, Catherine Kamindo, the manager research and development, Joseph Masindet, a returning officer and Dismas Ong'ondi, the former ICT director are among insiders battling for the top positions.
Ong'ondi was dismissed from the IEBC on September 2, 2014 on account of alleged misconduct and laxity. He moved to court to challenge his sacking, attracting a scathing affidavit from outgoing IEBC Issack Hassan.
Also in the race is Dr Joel Mabonga, the former IEBC director of voter education and partnerships who is now the CEO at the Independent Police Oversight Authority.
Kinuthia wa Mwangi, the former Transition Authority chairman, Prof Ngotho Kariuki, the Judges and Magistrates Vetting Board member, his colleague Justus Munyithya, Independent Police Oversight Authority member Tom Kagwe, vice chair of Kenya Law Reform Commission Doreen Muthaura are among the 748 applicants.
Former PS Dr Wilson Songa, retiring Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) CEO Sammy Makove, former PS Philemon Mwaisaka and Lucy Wanja Julius who was also applied to be the Chief Justice, and a former Nairobi County Health Executive Timothy King'ondu are also in the race.
Activists Cyprian Nyamwamu, Ndung'u Wainaina, Faith Kasiva, Kamanda Mucheke, Paddy Onyango, Samuel Kimeu and Maimuna Mwidau are holding the civil society torch in the race.
Rev Oliver Kisaka, the former National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) Deputy Secretary General is leading the list of 20 men and women of cloth interested in the IEBC jobs.
Lawyers eyeing the job include "Okoa LSK" movement luminary Jacqueline Manani while journalist Lilian Lelei is holding forte for the media industry. Former MP Mutinda Mutiso is also trying his luck in the job.
Also seeking to grab the attention of the select committee is Ambassador David Mutemi, long-serving administrator David Jakaiti, Isiolo County Secretary Ibrahim Wako Boru and University of Nairobi don Dr Joshua Kivuva.
Kakamega and Nairobi counties lead in the number of applicants with 33 each, followed by Kisii, Bungoma and Homa Bay with 31, 30 and 29 respectively. Lamu and Samburu counties recorded the lowest number applicants at just two each.
Other counties which had a poor showing in applications include Nyandarua (3), Tana River (5), Kwale (6), West Pokot (6), Turkana (6), Kericho (7), Taita Taveta (7) and Trans Nzoia (8).
Margaret Shava, a former commissioner at the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC), Roseline Odede a member of the Judges and Magistrates Vetting Board, David Malakwen, the former Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) company secretary, Football Federation of Kenya official David Mereka and Dr Mutakha Kangu are battling for the chair's position.
The interviews for the chairperson start on Tuesday with Shava being the first to be interviewed.
