IEBC Appoints Moses Ledama Sunkuli as Acting CEO

IEBC Appoints Sunkuli to Lead as Acting CEO

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has appointed Moses Ledama Sunkuli as the Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Commission Secretary, marking a leadership transition at the helm of Kenya’s electoral management body. IEBC announced the appointment on Thursday, 5 February 2026, just days after former CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan exited.

IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon confirmed in Nairobi that Moses Sunkuli’s appointment as Acting CEO takes immediate effect. As Acting CEO, he will lead the Secretariat in performing its critical administrative, operational, and strategic functions while a competitive recruitment process for a substantive CEO and Commission Secretary gets underway.

Who Is Moses Ledama Sunkuli?

Moses Ledama Sunkuli has been serving as the Director of Electoral Operations at IEBC, where he was responsible for coordinating planning, logistics, voter registration processes, boundary delimitation activities, and other core operational duties central to the delivery of electoral services. The Commission cited Sunkuli’s deep institutional experience and knowledge of its inner workings as key reasons for appointing him.

According to public records, Sunkuli brings extensive operational experience and familiarity with IEBC’s mandate, which the Commission hopes will ensure continuity in its operations as Kenya prepares for a busy electoral calendar leading up to the 2027 General Election. The Acting CEO will hold office for six months or until a substantive CEO and Commission Secretary is appointed.

Exit of Former CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan

The CEO position became vacant after Marjan Hussein Marjan stepped down on 3 February 2026, ending a tenure that began in March 2022 when he was confirmed in office after a long period of acting leadership at the Commission. IEBC described Marjan’s departure as a mutually agreed structured transition to strengthen the Secretariat’s leadership and accountability.

Chairperson Ethekon thanked Marjan for his service, overseeing elections and boundary delimitation during his tenure at IEBC. Ethekon emphasized that the Commission implemented the leadership change to strengthen IEBC’s preparedness, transparency, and efficiency.

Leadership Transition and Recruitment of a Substantive CEO

The Commission has reiterated its commitment to an open, transparent, and competitive recruitment process for the next substantive CEO and Commission Secretary. Under the IEBC Act, the CEO must be a Kenyan citizen with the requisite educational qualifications and relevant experience in management, governance, and public administration. The Commission designed the recruitment process to uphold high standards of integrity and professionalism in its leadership

Sunkuli will lead IEBC during preparations for by-elections and 2027 polls amid public scrutiny of the leadership transition.