Senator Maanzo Opposes IEBC Nominees, Threatens Court Action

Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo has threatened legal action against the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Selection Panel following the unexplained addition of six candidates to the shortlist of potential commissioners.

The Wiper party senator expressed outrage over the late-night inclusion of the six individuals, vowing to petition the courts to nullify the entire process and initiate a fresh selection. “The six additional candidates were selected at night and added to the list. We will not accept this,” Maanzo declared. “We will challenge the process in court until commissioners acceptable to all Kenyans are selected.”

According to Maanzo, the integrity of the IEBC reconstitution is compromised unless it is conducted transparently and in full compliance with the law. He accused the panel of breaching trust and called on the additional nominees to step down voluntarily.

Concerns over the mysterious additions were earlier raised by the Elections Observation Group (ELOG), which questioned the criteria used and why it was not employed from the outset. Despite the panel’s communication on the matter, ELOG highlighted that the process still lacked clarity and full legal compliance.

On April 8, several petitioners, including activist Bob Njagi and the Free Kenya Initiatives lobby, filed a case at the High Court seeking to halt the process, citing constitutional violations, particularly in the appointment of public officers as panelists.

Maanzo also criticized President William Ruto’s upcoming trip to China, alleging it was part of a broader corruption scheme. “He will bring in the loan, and it will be up for grabs by vultures in the government,” he claimed, warning that Kenyans have already resolved to vote Ruto out in the next general election.