Lawyer Apollo Mboya sues to remove Adams Oloo from IEBC selection panel

A Nairobi-based lawyer wants to kick out Adams Oloo from the panel recruiting the next commissioners for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. Lawyer Apollo Mboya filed a case at the high court, questioning Oloo’s impartiality as the chairman of IEBC’s selection panel. Oloo serves as a strategic communication’s advisor in President William Ruto’s Economic Affairs Commission. He also works for former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Mboya said in court papers that Oloo cannot be trusted to be independent. Oloo was pick to represent Parliamentary Service Commission. “Needless to state, the endemic suspicions and mistrust that have pervaded Kenya's electoral process will be revived. The optical and legal impact of this brazen violation of the integrity of the selection process defeats the objectives of the IEBC Act to wit; representation of the people in the selection of IEBC commissioners,” Mboya said in his filing, adding that matter should be settled before February 15 when applications for the commissioners' positions will close. The selection panel includes Oloo, Dr. Nelson Makanda, Fatuma Saman, Evans Masati, Nicodemus Kipchirchir, Andrew Kipkoech, Caroline Kituku and Linda Koome. Koki Muli’s membership is still pending in the court after it was challenged.