Ngwele: I stood firm against political pressure and will extend the same at IEBC

Inaugural Nairobi County Assembly Clerk Jacob Ngwele is credited for building the assembly from scratch in 2013 when it only existed on paper.

Now, his eyes are set on the chairperson position at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

The 47-year-old has been shortlisted alongside legal titans such as former Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution chairperson Charles Nyachae, former Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Anne Amadi, Kenya Power chairperson Joy Mdivo, and lawyer Robert Asembo.

Ngwele has recalled a critical moment in his career when he was forced to stand firm against intense political pressure.

While being interviewed for the position of IEBC chairperson, Ngwele narrated how his leadership was tested during the swearing-in of Nairobi County Assembly members in 2017.

Speaking before the IEBC selection panel on Tuesday, Ngwele explained that as the clerk, he was responsible for overseeing the process, including conducting the election of the speaker as required by law. However, moments before the swearing-in ceremony, he received an urgent call instructing him to report to the governor’s office.

Upon arrival, he found himself in a room filled with high-ranking political figures, including members of Parliament and the Senate. The leaders pressured him to delay or halt the ceremony over concerns regarding the list of nominated members.

“One of the leaders looked at me and told me, ‘Kindly, use wisdom,’” Ngwele recalled.

He told the panel that despite being urged to postpone the process, he stood his ground, explaining that the ceremony had already been gazetted and could only be stopped by a court order. Though some leaders claimed that such an order existed, he insisted on verifying its authenticity before taking action.

To ensure due process, he instructed one of his legal counsels to confirm the court order. “After an hour, she told me they hadn’t even gone anywhere. So there was no court order,” he said.

Realising the delay was politically driven, Ngwele proceeded with the ceremony. He oversaw the swearing-in of 124 MCAs and conducted the election of the speaker as scheduled. When he later stepped out, the same leaders who had pressured him earlier acknowledged his stance.

“They told me, ‘You are a lawyer,’” Ngwele recounted.

Ngwele stated that the experience reinforced his commitment to upholding the law, conflict resolution, and political management. He said his ability to remain neutral and handle high-pressure situations had shaped his leadership, which he now hopes to bring to the IEBC as its chairperson.

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