Justus Nyang’aya: Humanitarian caught at the centre of IEBC storm

The results of the 2022 Presidential Elections has left a deep rift in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

A commission that had unity slogans at the beginning of the polls is now divided into two factions; one comprises of Vice Chair Juliana Cherera, Commissioners Justus Nyang’aya, Francis Wanderi and Irene Masit, who disputed results of the presidential election.

The other faction comprises of Chairperson Wafula Chebukati, Prof. Abdi Yakub Guliye and Boya Molu, who are said to have been in agreement on declaring William Ruto the President-elect.

Who is Justus Nyang’aya?

At the centre of protests about the released presidential results is Justus Nyang’aya, who before taking a role at the electoral body was a Social Development professional with a passion for transforming communities and a humanitarian.

Nyang’aya pursued a Master of Arts Education, Institute of Education at the University of London and also has a Diploma in Leadership, Governance, Peace and Conflict Transformation from the United Nations’ University.

Additionally, the IEBC commissioner studied Educational Science in Kenya and Great Britain.

Before joining the polls body, Nyang’aya was the CEO of the Leadership Education For African Development (LEAD) Africa.

In this position that he held for 3 years and 10 months, he was charged with enhancing compliance with legal, empowerment of rights holders, accountability, social cohesion and effective service delivery by duty bearers in Kenya and the region.

Before this role, Nyang’aya was the Country Director for Amnesty International - a global movement that campaigns to end abuses of human rights. Here, he worked for 8 years, 9 months.

This was after serving as a CEO at the Inter Sudanese Consultations on Peace and Justice (ISCOP) for a year.

In 1997-1998, Nyang’aya was a Peace Education Expert of UNESCO-PEER and had volunteered as a Refugee Education and Counseling Officer at Windle Charitable Trust from 1988 -1990.

Nyang’aya previously told a regional publication that, in another life, he would most probably be an elected Member of Parliament providing public service to Kenyans.

The commissioner also told the East African newspaper in 2017 publication that he is passionate about processes that create cohesion among people, or peace and conflict transformation.

With a unique sense of African fashion, Nyang’aya’s best travel destination is Kabale in Uganda.