IEBC CEO Marjan Throws in the Towel

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chief Executive Officer Marjan Hussein Marjan has resigned, bringing to an end his more than decade-long tenure at the electoral body.

In a statement issued after a meeting with senior IEBC officials on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, Marjan said his departure followed a mutual agreement with the commission to undertake a structured transition.

“As you may be aware, the Commission and I have mutually agreed on a structured transition in the Office of the Commission Secretary and Chief Executive Officer. I write to express my sincere appreciation for the opportunity to serve alongside you over the years,” Marjan said.

Marjan joined the IEBC in April 2015 as Deputy Commission Secretary before rising to the position of Commission Secretary and CEO. He said it had been an honour to work with what he described as a professional and resilient team committed to the commission’s constitutional mandate.

“Since joining the Commission in 2015, first as Deputy Commission Secretary and later as Commission Secretary and CEO, it has been a privilege to serve in an institution dedicated to safeguarding Kenya’s democratic processes,” he added.

His resignation comes days after he participated in a joint exercise with other IEBC officials and the State Department of Public Service and Human Capital Development to review and validate key human resource tools intended to guide the commission’s future operations.

IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon confirmed that the commission will soon announce an interim replacement to ensure continuity.

“The Commission will, in due course, announce an Acting Commission Secretary and CEO to ensure a seamless transition as we continue to discharge our constitutional mandate, including the conduct of elections and boundaries delimitation,” Ethekon said.

Marjan’s exit follows weeks of mounting public pressure, including calls from former Nairobi Town Clerk Philip Kisia, who had openly demanded his resignation.

Speaking in an interview in December 2025, Kisia argued that Marjan had overstayed at the commission and that prolonged occupancy of such a sensitive office undermined principles of good governance.

He noted that Marjan had overseen two general elections and questioned why leadership succession had not been prioritised within the institution.

“This man must resign before 2027. I personally have no confidence in him, and I know that many in the opposition and across the country feel the same,” Kisia said, insisting that fresh leadership was necessary to restore confidence in the electoral body.

Marjan’s departure now sets the stage for changes at the IEBC as the country prepares for the 2027 General Election.