The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is tasked with the responsibility of conducting and supervising elections in Kenya. Every election cycle, IEBC officials hog headlines for real or perceived wrongs. Little was known about the electoral body CEO Hussein Marjan until reports emerged that he had recruited his wife to be the Mombasa county returning officer.
Here is the rich backround of Hussein Marjan as told by WoK.
Hussein Marjan.
Hussein Marjan attended the University of Nairobi where he graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree (BCom) specializing in accounting. He then acquired a Master of Business Administration (MBA) specializing in strategic management from the same institution.
He holds a number of certificates including Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA-K), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certification in Control Self-Assessment (CCSA) and Certified Quality Assessor (CQA). He is also a practicing member of ICPAK, member of Information Systems Audit & Control Association (ISACA) and a member of the Institute Internal Auditor (IIA).
Joining IEBC
Hussein Marjan joined IEBC as the acting Chief Executive Officer in October 2018. This was after the Supreme Court had nullified the 2017 general elections and the then CEO Ezra Chiloba left the commission. The position went on to be advertised in December 2021 attracting 511 applicants by the end of deadline day on 21st January 2022. Out of the 511 applicants, only five made it to the final list and interviews were held on 8th March 2022. According to IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati, Hussein Marjan topped and was announced as the new CEO.
“The commission congratulates Mr. Marjan on his new appointment as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of IEBC,” read a short statement from the body.
The other shortlisted candidates include Mombasa county IEBC Boss Nancy Kariuki, Electoral and Governance Expert Zephaniah Aura, Management Expert Dr. George Michungu and Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).
Role at IEBC
Marjan is the head of the IEBC Secretariat that manages the daily activities of the Commission. IEBC is composed of nine directorates each led by a director and 17 departments each headed by a manager. The Secretariat on the other hand comprises the CEO who serves as the Secretary of the Secretariat, two deputy Commission secretaries, nine directors, 24 managers, 47 county election managers and 290 constituency election coordinators. These individuals are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring the commission delivers free, fair and credible elections.
Integrity Issues
The CEO was accused by Azimio La Umoja Coalition of hiring his wife a top position at the electoral body. Speaking to the press, former Wajir Woman Representative Fatuma Gedi said that this amounted to conflict of interest an was meant to subvert the will of the people.
“In Mombasa, it is unfortunate that the IEBC CEO Marjan Marjan recruited his wife to be Mombasa county’s returning officer. That is a conflict of interest and there is a scheme to deny the people of Mombasa their will by rigging,” she stated.
She went on to add:
“As we go to Mombasa, we want to tell the CEO Marjan, we know you have planned to use your wife to rig the election in Mombasa, Kakamega, and the other constituencies………”
“To the people of Mombasa do not allow the elections to be overseen by Marjan’s wife. Marjan bangled the elections of the former Prime Minister,” she added.
