IEBC finally removes ‘ghost’ MCAs after five-year court ruling

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Chairperson Erastus Ethekon briefs the media in Nairobi on April 30, 2026.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Erastus Ethekon has degazetted three nominated Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) in Kwale whose nominations were revoked by the High Court in 2023.

In a gazette notice issued on September 18, Mr Ethekon removed the names of Fartun Mohamed Musa (Orange Democratic Movement), Augustine Ndegwa (United Democratic Alliance) and Rachael Katumbi Mutisya (United Democratic Movement) from the marginalised list. The move comes less than a year before the next General Election is held on August 10, 2027.

The three had been serving as nominated members of the Kwale County Assembly and drawing salaries since 2022, despite the High Court nullifying their nominations on September 14, 2023. They have now been replaced by Agnes Otieno (ODM), Aaron Kennedy Kavuwa (UDA) and Nuria Huka (UDM).