Acting Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Chief Executive Officer Evaleen Jesang Mitei is among five candidates shortlisted for interviews as the commission moves to recruit a substantive holder of the top administrative position.
Mitei will compete for the position alongside four other applicants selected from 124 candidates who submitted applications following a fresh advertisement issued by TSC on September 29, 2026.
In a public announcement released on Tuesday, November 3, TSC Chairman Jamleck Muturi said the commission had completed reviewing the applications received before the October 30 deadline.
The five candidates shortlisted for the position are Cheptumo Ayabei from Baringo County, Dr Evaleen Jesang Mitei from Uasin Gishu, Robert Odette from Migori, Lawrence Ngai Kaburu from Tharaka Nithi and Farah Abdi Saman from Mandera.
According to the interview schedule, Ayabei will be the first candidate to appear before the selection panel on November 16, 2026, at 9am.
Mitei will follow at 10am, with Odette scheduled for 11am. Kaburu will appear at noon, while Saman will be the last candidate to face the panel at 1pm.
The interviews will take place at the TSC headquarters in Upper Hill, Nairobi, on the third floor of the Tower building.
Candidates have been directed to arrive at least 30 minutes before their scheduled interview times and present original copies of their national identity cards, academic and professional certificates, transcripts and other supporting documents.
They will also be required to produce valid clearance documents from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), a registered Credit Reference Bureau and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Additionally, candidates must present an acknowledgement of their online self-declaration application or a self-declaration form stamped by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
Those holding degrees from foreign universities must provide recognition letters from the Commission for University Education (CUE), while recommendations from relevant professional bodies and associations will also be required where applicable.
In another development, the commission has invited members of the public to submit credible information concerning any of the five shortlisted candidates ahead of the interviews.
The information must be submitted through sworn affidavits addressed to the TSC Chairperson and delivered to the commission’s headquarters on the third floor of the Tower building along Kilimanjaro Road, Upper Hill, Nairobi.
Alternatively, members of the public can submit the information through chairperson2026@tsc.go.ke. The deadline for receiving the submissions is November 13, 2026.
Muturi warned that the commission could interview members of the public who submit information about the candidates, assuring them that their submissions would be treated confidentially.
“Take note that Teachers Service Commission may interview any member of the public who has submitted information on any shortlisted candidates and such information shall be confidential,” he stated.
The chairman further maintained that TSC was an equal opportunity employer committed to selecting candidates based on merit through a fair and open competitive process.
The latest recruitment exercise follows a High Court decision that nullified an earlier attempt to fill the position, forcing the commission to restart the process.
On September 17, 2026, a two-judge bench comprising Justices Dorah Chepkwony and Francis Nyungu of the Kiambu High Court ordered TSC to conduct a fresh recruitment after identifying procedural violations in the initial exercise.
The court found that the previous advertisement, published on May 6, 2025, gave interested applicants only 13 days to submit their applications, contrary to the minimum 14 days stipulated in the commission’s Human Resource Policies and Procedures Manual.
The judges also faulted TSC for failing to disclose the proposed remuneration for the position in the advertisement, leading to the entire recruitment process being quashed.
However, the court upheld the constitutionality of the statutory qualifications requiring applicants to hold a degree in education and have at least 10 years of relevant professional experience, including five years in senior management.
Following the ruling, TSC advertised the position afresh on September 29, 2026, with applications closing on October 30.
The commission received 124 applications, with applicants required to be Kenyan citizens, hold a degree in Education from a recognised university, have at least 10 years’ experience in education, administration and management, public administration, human resource or financial management, and satisfy the integrity requirements under Chapter Six of the Constitution.
The position became vacant following the departure of former CEO Nancy Macharia on June 1, 2025. Mitei has since been serving in an acting capacity.
Under the TSC Act, the Secretary/CEO is responsible for implementing the commission’s policies, decisions and strategies and overseeing the day-to-day administration of its secretariat.
The successful candidate will serve a five-year term, with eligibility for reappointment for one further term.
