IEBC CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan Resignation

Inside the Events That Forced the Resignation of IEBC CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan

On 3 February 2026, Marjan Hussein Marjan resigned as Chief Executive Officer and Commission Secretary of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, ending a tenure that had quietly come under intense internal scrutiny. The announcement framed his exit as a mutual agreement, but investigations show it followed weeks of internal confrontation and unresolved audit queries.

The decision was sealed during a closed-door Commission meeting held on 31 January 2026 at the IEBC headquarters in Nairobi. Newly appointed commissioners, sworn in on 11 July 2025, tabled a series of governance concerns that fundamentally altered Marjan’s standing within the institution.

At the centre of the dispute were procurement and contractual decisions made between 2023 and mid-2025, when the Commission operated without a full bench of commissioners. Documents reviewed during the meeting revealed that in October 2024, the Secretariat signed a multi-year extension of an election technology contract without formal Commission approval.

When the newly reconstituted Commission reviewed the contract in August 2025, commissioners declined to ratify it and ordered an internal review. That decision opened the door to a broader examination of how the Secretariat had exercised authority during the Commission’s absence.

An Auditor General’s report for the 2023–2024 financial year, published earlier but not fully interrogated internally, flagged irregular legal expenditures exceeding KSh 500 million. The report cited payments to external advocates without clear competitive procurement documentation or formal approvals.

Further scrutiny revealed staff appointments and allowances approved during the same period, raising concerns about weak internal controls. Commissioners argued that while operational continuity was important, the absence of oversight had created governance practices that could not continue.

Tensions escalated in December 2025 when commissioners formally demanded written explanations from the CEO. In a response dated 18 December 2025, Marjan defended his actions as necessary to avoid legal exposure and operational paralysis during the Commission’s vacancy.

By mid-January 2026, relations between the Commission and the Secretariat leadership had visibly deteriorated. On 24 January, Marjan privately signalled his intention to resign, conditional on negotiations over exit terms and a structured handover.

Those negotiations stalled, and by the time commissioners reconvened on 31 January, several openly questioned whether the CEO still enjoyed their confidence. According to sources present, the meeting ended with a consensus that his continued stay risked deeper institutional paralysis.

“This was not about one decision, but about how power was exercised when oversight was missing.”

The public announcement on 3 February deliberately avoided these details, emphasizing stability and continuity. Internally, however, the resignation was seen as a necessary step to restore Commission authority ahead of preparations for the 2027 General Election.

Political pressure formed a critical backdrop to the crisis. In late January 2026, opposition figures and civil society groups had begun questioning election technology procurement and preparedness, amplifying the stakes of internal governance failures.

On 4 February 2026, the Commission appointed an acting CEO and ordered an immediate freeze on major procurement decisions. Internal memos dated 5 February instructed departments to resubmit high-value contracts signed since 2023 for compliance review.

The episode exposes deeper structural weaknesses within the IEBC, particularly the concentration of administrative power during periods of weak oversight. It also raises urgent questions about how the Commission manages authority between election cycles.

As Kenya edges closer to 2027, the selection of a new CEO will be a defining test. Transparency in the recruitment process and decisive action on audit issues will matter more than official assurances.

Ultimately, Marjan Hussein Marjan did not leave because his term ended. He left because decisions made in the shadows of institutional absence could not withstand renewed oversight, a lesson that will shape the IEBC’s credibility in the years ahead.

This article was prepared by the Ramsey Focus Analysis Desk, based on verified reports, independent analysis, and insights to ensure balanced coverage.