Moses Ledama Sunkuli Appointed Acting IEBC Chief Executive Officer

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has appointed Moses Ledama Sunkuli as its Acting Chief Executive Officer for a period of six months or until a substantive office holder is recruited.

The appointment follows the exit of Marjan Hussein Marjan and was announced by IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon. He said Sunkuli’s long service within the Commission and his experience in electoral operations would provide stability during the transition.

Sunkuli currently serves as Director of Electoral Operations and has been involved in the Commission’s core operational work for several years. The IEBC said the decision reflects a preference for institutional continuity at a time when the Commission is under close public scrutiny.

He was a key figure during the 2022 General Elections, particularly at the National Tallying Centre at Bomas of Kenya, where he was serving as the operations lead. During the tallying of presidential results, tensions escalated amid claims of interference by security agencies.

Reports at the time indicated that Sunkuli went into hiding after fears of arrest and left behind his official communication devices. Former IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati later alleged that state officers had harassed Commission staff, with claims that some officials were abducted or injured in attempts to influence the electoral process.

Sunkuli was described as one of Chebukati’s close allies during the verification and announcement of the presidential results. The 2022 election period was marked by internal divisions within the Commission, with four commissioners rejecting the final presidential tally. Although the Supreme Court later upheld William Ruto’s election as president, the events at Bomas had a lasting effect on public confidence in the electoral process.

Sunkuli’s academic background includes a Bachelor of Education from Moi University, a Diploma in Business Management from the Kenya Institute of Management, a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Nairobi, and a Master’s degree in Strategic Management from the same institution. He has also completed specialised training in democratic election management at the University of South Africa.

In addition, he holds professional memberships in insurance and arbitration bodies. In December 2023, President Ruto awarded him the Order of the Grand Warrior in recognition of his service in the public sector.