It replaced the disbanded Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK), led by Samuel Kivuitu. The team has nine commissioners. The chairman and commissioners were nominated through a competitive process by Parliament appointed by the President in consultation with the Prime Minister and sworn in on May 11, 2009.

The IIEC’s mandate was to:

• Reform the electoral process management of elections in to institutionalize free and fair elections
• Establish an efficient and effective secretariat
• Promote free and fair election
• Register voters afresh and create a new voter’s registers
• Develop a modern system for collection, collation, transmission and tallying of electoral data
• Conduct a referendum for a new constitution
• Facilitate the observation, monitoring evaluation of elections and referenda
• Promote voter education and culture of democracy
• Settle minor electoral disputes during an election as may be provided by law.

The Commission had 12 months from December 24, 2009 to December 2010 to discharge its mandate. Alternatively, the IIEC would cease to exist three months after a new constitution comes to effect. In that case, the new constitution would provide for a permanent successor electoral body, which would take up the role of reforms.

The Commission has successfully fulfilled its mandate — registered voters afresh and created an new register, conducted the referendum on the new Constitution and by-elections in Bomachoge, Shinyalu, South Mugirango, Matuga, Makadara, Starehe, Juja and Wajir South constituencies.

The commissioners are: Ahmed Issack Hassan (chairman), Simiyu Abuid Wasike, Winnie Guchu, Yusuf Nzibo, Hamara Ibrahim Adan, Ken Nyaundi, Tiyah Galgalo, Davis Chirchir and Douglas Mwashigadi