[CLSTR]
< Back to situations

Monitor this situation.

[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE] · [POLITICS]

3 clusters · 6 sources · 30 days · First seen · Last updated

Kenya electoral reform legislative process

Overview

In September 2026, Member of Parliament Caroli Omondi prepared to introduce the Elections Amendment Bill to reform presidential result handling before the 2027 General Election. Supported by the People’s Coalition on Electoral Reforms, the proposed legislation aimed to abolish the national tallying centre and limit the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson to aggregating and announcing results already declared by returning officers at constituency levels. This move followed a High Court ruling and was supported by figures like Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, who warned that central re-tallying created opportunities for manipulation.

By late October 2026, the legislative trajectory regarding transparency shifted. While earlier versions of the Elections (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2024, suggested repealing Section 39 of the Elections Act—which would have removed the requirement for the IEBC to livestream election results—the National Assembly has since deleted the disputed Clause 22.

Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi and Parliamentary Affairs Principal Secretary Aurelia Rono clarified that by deleting this clause, the existing legal provisions requiring the IEBC to establish a mechanism for livestreaming results as they are announced at polling stations remain intact. National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah further dismissed claims of tampering with livestreaming provisions, accusing certain politicians of spreading propaganda to mislead the public. The amended Bill must now return to the Senate for consideration. Other provisions in the Bill continue to address voter registration, political party nominations, the procedures for recalling Members of Parliament, and the IEBC’s role in party primaries.

Entities

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission · Kenya · Opiyo Wandayi · Caroli Omondi · George Natembeya

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Timeline

  1. [POLITICS] 5 sources
    Kenya National Assembly clarifies election livestreaming provisions

    Kenyan officials have denied claims that new legislation removes the requirement for the IEBC to livestream election results, clarifying that the National Assembly deleted amendments that would have altered the

  2. [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Kenya National Assembly passes Elections Amendment Bill 2024

    Kenya's National Assembly passed the Elections Amendment Bill 2024, removing the IEBC's requirement to livestream election results and shifting political party dispute resolution to a dedicated tribunal.

  3. [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Kenya electoral reform bill seeks to abolish national tallying centre

    Kenyan lawmakers and leaders are pushing for electoral reforms to abolish the national tallying centre and limit the IEBC's power to re-tally presidential results before the 2027 General Election.

Sources

bnn.ke · capitalfm.co.ke · ghanamma.com · k24tv.co.ke · kenyans.co.ke · uzalendonews.co.ke

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history