Saturday, May 31,
2025 - Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson
nominee, Erastus Edung, has denied having any personal or familial ties to
former Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok.
Appearing before the National Assembly’s Justice and Legal
Affairs Committee (JLAC) on Saturday, Edung clarified that his association with
Nanok was strictly professional during his time as Turkana County Attorney.
“For the record, Honourable Chairman, not even close, not at
the clan level, let alone family.”
“We come from different villages and have no relationship
whatsoever, whether by marriage or extended family,” Edung told JLAC Chair
George Murugara, who had raised the question.
Edung served as Nanok’s Legal Advisor during a four-year
period in the County Government, which some critics have cited as evidence of
political favoritism in his nomination.
However, Edun emphasized that his nomination by President
William Ruto was based on merit and not influenced by political affiliations.
He served in Turkana County for six years - four under
Nanok’s leadership and two under the succeeding administration - before leaving
public service in 2022.
The JLAC is currently vetting IEBC nominees appointed by
President Ruto, including Edung and seven commissioner candidates, to determine
their suitability for overseeing Kenya’s electoral process.
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