With Kenya’s 2027 General Election drawing closer, an opposition coalition led by former Chief Justice David Maraga is pressing the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to provide greater clarity on its preparations for the presidential election.
The coalition has called on the electoral commission to publicly outline its strategies and mechanisms for conducting the 2027 presidential poll, particularly the systems that will be used to tally, verify and declare presidential results.
The opposition coalition has also rejected the establishment of a central tallying centre for presidential results, arguing that such an arrangement is not provided for under the Constitution.
The group maintains that the management and declaration of presidential results should strictly follow the constitutional framework governing elections in Kenya, with clear safeguards to protect the integrity of the vote.
Technology has also emerged as a major concern for the coalition, which is urging the IEBC to strengthen its electoral systems ahead of the 2027 polls.
The opposition argues that more robust and secure electoral technology is necessary to protect votes, improve transparency and minimise the risk of electoral malpractice.
The demands come against the backdrop of Kenya’s history of closely contested elections, where the tallying, transmission and declaration of results have often attracted intense political scrutiny and public debate. As preparations for the 2027 election gather momentum, the credibility of electoral technology is expected to remain a major issue. Political parties, candidates and voters are likely to demand systems that are secure, transparent and capable of delivering accurate and verifiable results
