NAIROBI, Kenya — The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has appointed Deputy Commission Secretary Ruth Kulundu as Acting Chief Executive Officer and Commission Secretary, effective August 5, 2026, following the conclusion of Moses Ledama Sunkuli’s six-month acting tenure.
In an internal memo dated August 4, 2026, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon announced that Kulundu will serve for two months or until a substantive office holder is recruited and appointed. The communication, circulated to staff, urged employees to extend full cooperation to ensure uninterrupted operations at the electoral agency.
Kulundu, among the Commission’s longest-serving senior officials, has served as Deputy Commission Secretary in charge of Operations since 2022. In that role, she oversees critical electoral functions including voter registration, election planning, and coordination of electoral operations. Her appointment comes as the Commission intensifies preparations for the 2027 General Election, including continuous voter registration, electoral planning, and procurement processes.
The transition follows Sunkuli’s six-month stint at the helm. Sunkuli, the Director of Electoral Operations, was appointed Acting CEO in February after the departure of former Commission Secretary and CEO Marjan Hussein. At the time, the Commission indicated his appointment would lapse once a substantive office holder was recruited.
Recruitment for a substantive Commission Secretary and CEO is now underway. The IEBC declared the position vacant last week and has invited qualified candidates to apply, with applications closing August 11. The successful candidate will receive a four-year renewable contract and serve as the Commission’s accounting officer, overseeing day-to-day administration of the Secretariat, implementation of Commission decisions, financial management, and preparations for the 2027 General Election.
The recruitment is viewed as one of the final steps in reconstituting the electoral body following the appointment of a new Commission chaired by Ethekon, as the IEBC seeks to strengthen its leadership ahead of the next General Election.