NAIROBI, Kenya, July 20 – Veteran civil servant and former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioner Mohamed Abdullahi Sharawe has died.
Leaders have paid tribute to a man remembered for decades of distinguished service in government, electoral reforms and public administration.
Eldas MP Adan Keynan led the tributes, describing Sharawe as a principled statesman, accomplished engineer and respected elder whose contribution to nation-building spanned several administrations.
“It is with profound sorrow that I join the nation in mourning the passing of Eng. Mohamed Abdullahi Sharawe, a distinguished statesman, accomplished engineer and an enviable elder whose life was defined by integrity, humility and unwavering commitment to public service,” Keynan said.
Sharawe served in senior government positions during the administrations of former Presidents Daniel arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki.
He was Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Roads and Public Works before later heading the Ministry of Research, Technical Training and Applied Technology, where he oversaw policies aimed at strengthening technical education, infrastructure development and industrial growth.
His public service career later extended to Kenya’s electoral reform process. He was among the commissioners of the Interim Independent Boundaries Review Commission (IIBRC), established after the 2007/08 post-election crisis to redraw constituency and county boundaries ahead of the 2010 Constitution.
He was subsequently appointed as one of the inaugural commissioners of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in 2011, where he helped lay the foundation for the country’s new electoral management system.
Beyond electoral reforms, Sharawe chaired the Presidential Committee on Muslim Concerns after his appointment by former President Mwai Kibaki in 2009, leading consultations on civil, administrative and socio-economic issues affecting the Muslim community.
He also served as Chairman of the Public Service Commission, where he championed professionalism, accountability and integrity in the public service.
Keynan said Sharawe’s influence extended beyond government offices, describing him as a unifying elder whose counsel shaped leaders and communities alike.
“His calm disposition, ethical leadership and steadfast commitment to nation-building made him a towering figure whose legacy will continue to inspire present and future generations,” he said.
The legislator said Sharawe’s legacy would endure through the institutions he helped build and the values he upheld throughout his career.
“As we mourn his passing, we also celebrate a life of honour, patriotism and selfless service. His legacy reminds us that true leadership is measured not by the offices one occupies, but by the institutions strengthened, the values upheld and the lives touched,” Keynan noted.
