SUPKEM supports Ruto's IEBC nominees amid criticism from a section of politicians.

The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) has declared its support for the recently nominated chairperson and commissioners of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

In a statement issued on Monday, SUPKEM said that they have confidence in the Selection Panel’s recommendations and President William Ruto's nominations that are now before the national assembly.

“As one of the institutions under the corporate umbrella of the Inter Religious Council of Kenya (IRCK) who nominated members to serve on the Selection Panel, SUPKEM unreservedly supports the Selection Panel’s recommendations and the President's nominations that are now before the National Assembly,” read the statement.

However, SUPKEM ask for speedy reconstitution of the IEBC asking the National Assembly to expedite the vetting of the nominees.

"We are confident that the National Assembly will add the much- needed extra layer of vetting and approval, the product of which be a team that earns the trust and confidence of the people of Kenya," stated in the release.

"The people of Kenya are anxious for the IEBC to be up and running to conduct pending by elections and embark on the delayed boundaries review.Any further delays will affect these processes and preparations for the next presidential and general elections."

The remarks comes after a section of political leaders criticized the president's decision claiming that there should have been further consultations within the dominant political class before he announced the nominees from the list presented to him by the selection panel on Thursday, something that SUPKEM condems.

"We find this absurd because constituting the panel itself was very participatory, negotiated and consultative process. Another round of consultation to agree on the person already recruited by the selection panel would open up unnecessary haggling and political horse-trading that would further delay the reconstitution of IEBC," read the statement.

SUPKEM appeal to Kenyans to support these processes and lend support to the nominees in order to inspire confidence in the expected new IEBC.

"If our memory serves us right, we went into the 2007 general elections with an election management body that has been heavily vilified to the extent that the tragic 2007/2008 post election violence was almost inevitable."

Meanwhile, SUPKEM recommends that in future, as a confidence building mechanism, only one name to be presented before the President just like it's done in the recruitment of judges.

"The idea of selection panel presenting multiple names for the president to choose from indeed does not inspire confidence, in fact it defeats the very purpose of the selection panel to do the recruitment," the statement read.