Ex-IEBC boss Issack Hassan to head IPOA as Ruto makes fresh Gov't appointments

President William Ruto has appointed former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson Ahmed Issack Hassan as the new Chairperson of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).

In a gazette notice dated December 5, 2024, the President made the announcement barely a month after he nominated Hassan for the State job.

Hassan, who served as IEBC Chair between November 2011 and October 2016, will now succeed outgoing IPOA boss Anne Makori.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 11 (8) of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority Act, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint— Ahmed Issack Hassan to be the chairperson of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority,” read the gazette notice.

President Ruto also appointed the Chairperson and Members of the Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ), as well as the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC).

Charles Orinda Dulo has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the CAJ while former Starehe Member of Parliament Charles Njagua Kanyi, alias Jaguar, and Dorothy Jemator Kimengech were appointed to serve as members of the commission’s board.

Ann Wanjiku Mwangi, Dr Micah Onyiego Nyakego, Boniface Kipkemoi Samati, Dr Annette Mbogoh, John Muchiri Nyaga, Ken Williams Nyakomitah and Jackline Lukalo Mwenesi have been approved to serve as members of the IPOA board.

At the same time, former Isiolo Woman Representative Rehema Dida Jaldesa was appointed to Chair NGEC, while Michael Mbithuka Nzomo was appointed to join the agency's board as a member.

The appointments came following the requisite Parliamentary approval processes after the president nominated the same names last month.