NAIROBI, Kenya — The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has appointed Ruth Kulundu as its acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO), placing a veteran election administrator at the helm of the commission as it prepares to recruit a substantive CEO ahead of Kenya’s next General Election.
The electoral commission confirmed on Wednesday that Kulundu’s appointment takes effect on August 5, 2026. She will continue serving as Deputy Commission Secretary (Operations) while performing the additional responsibilities of acting CEO.
Kulundu replaces Moses Ledama Sunkuli, who had been serving in the acting capacity following the departure of former CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan earlier this year. Sunkuli will now revert to his substantive role as Director of Electoral Operations.
The commission has already begun the process of recruiting a permanent chief executive, having advertised the vacancy on July 28, with applications scheduled to close on August 11, 2026.
Kulundu brings more than a decade of electoral management experience to the position.
She has served in several senior roles within the commission, including as Regional Elections Coordinator between 2010 and 2017 before becoming a County Elections Manager.
She later rose to the position of Deputy Commission Secretary in charge of operations.
Her academic and professional qualifications include a Master of Business Administration (Strategic Management) and a Bachelor of Commerce, both from the University of Nairobi (UoN).
She is also an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute of London, the Association of Insurance Institutes of Kenya, and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Kenya Chapter).
Kulundu’s appointment comes despite having previously faced disciplinary proceedings within the commission.
In 2023, then IEBC Chief Executive Officer Marjan Hussein Marjan interdicted her over allegations of gross misconduct, insubordination and participation in activities he described as unlawful.
Among the allegations was that she had allegedly organised an unauthorised commission plenary meeting during which four commissioners who rejected the 2022 presidential election results appointed legal representatives for the presidential election petition filed by opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Marjan also accused her of impersonation.
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Kulundu challenged the interdiction in court, and the High Court suspended the disciplinary action after finding that she had established an arguable case warranting judicial review.
No public record indicates that the allegations resulted in a final finding of misconduct against her.
The acting appointment comes at a critical period for the electoral commission as it continues rebuilding its leadership following changes in senior management.
Former CEO Marjan left office in February 2026 after reaching a mutual separation agreement with the commission amid sustained political pressure from opposition parties, which had demanded his exit ahead of the 2027 General Election.
With the recruitment of a substantive CEO now underway, Kulundu will oversee the commission’s day-to-day operations during a period expected to involve voter registration, procurement planning and preparations for the next electoral cycle.
