Ruto Appoints Ex-IEBC Chair Ahmed Issack Hassan As IPOA Chair

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

Former Isiolo Woman Representative Rehema Dida Jaldesa has also been appointed to lead the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC).

These appointments followed parliamentary approval processes and were formalized in a Gazette notice dated December 5, 2024.

Ahmed Issack Hassan, who served as the inaugural IEBC chair from November 2011 to October 2016, brings three decades of legal experience to his new role.

He is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and has worked as a legal consultant in Kenya and internationally in countries such as Somalia, South Sudan, Namibia, and Afghanistan. Hassan holds a law degree from the University of Nairobi, a Postgraduate Diploma from the Kenya School of Law, and advanced training in Public Administration from Israel’s Galilee International Management Institute.

President Ruto also announced a seven-member IPOA board tasked with maintaining police accountability and safeguarding standards amid growing demands for transparency. The board includes legal and civil society professionals such as Ann Wanjiku Mwangi and Dr. Micah Onyiego Nyakego, who will work under Hassan’s leadership.

The changes at IPOA come at a time of increased public scrutiny of the police force, with calls for robust investigations into allegations of misconduct. The new leadership is expected to strengthen IPOA’s mandate to investigate complaints, enforce accountability, and rebuild public trust in law enforcement.

In addition, Ruto appointed Charles Orinda Dulo as the chairperson of the Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ), with Charles Njagua Kanyi and Dorothy Jemator Kimengech as members of the commission.

The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) will also see Michael Mbithuka Nzomo joining as a member, working alongside Chairperson Rehema Jaldesa to address gender and equality issues nationwide.