# Electoral reform and legal challenges in Kenya and Nigeria

> Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/electoral-reform-and-legal-challenges-in-kenya-and-nigeria
> Updated: 2026-11-05T11:02:53.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2.

In Kenya, the People’s Coalition on Electoral Reforms, led by former Chief Justice David Maraga, proposed four amendments to the Elections Amendment Bill to protect the 2027 General Election. These proposals include the hourly electronic transmission of voter turnout to a public portal, making polling station declarations final and subject only to election court review, requiring livestreaming of declarations by constituency returning officers, and aggregating presidential results in an open public space in Nairobi.

In Nigeria, the Federal High Court in Abuja scheduled a December 8 judgment regarding a legal challenge to the Electoral Act 2026. The suit contests a provision that allows the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to review election results within seven days if it believes a declaration was made contrary to prescribed procedures. Plaintiffs argue this power permits INEC to improperly interfere with declarations made by returning officers.

Following these developments in Kenya, a High Court ruling restored the livestreaming of election results announced at polling stations for the 2027 elections. The ruling clarified that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson lacks the authority to alter, recount, or verify results once constituency returning officers have declared them. Additionally, the Communications Authority of Kenya began mapping polling stations without 3G or 4G coverage to prepare for potential satellite backup deployments during result transmissions.

## Timeline

### 2026-11-05: Kenya prepares for 2027 elections with court ruling and satellite plans

Kenya's High Court has restored livestreaming of polling station results for the 2027 elections, while regulators plan satellite backups for stations lacking mobile coverage.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kenya-prepares-for-2027-elections-with-court-ruling-and-satellite-plans

### 2026-10-27: Electoral reform proposals and legal challenges emerge in Kenya and Nigeria

Reform advocates in Kenya seek hourly voter turnout updates for 2027, while a Nigerian court prepares to rule on INEC's power to review election results under the Electoral Act 2026.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/electoral-reform-proposals-and-legal-challenges-emerge-in-kenya-and-nigeria

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Cite as: Electoral reform and legal challenges in Kenya and Nigeria. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/electoral-reform-and-legal-challenges-in-kenya-and-nigeria