With just two and a half years to Kenya’s 2027 General Election, delays in implementing key reforms could undermine the electoral process, the European Union (EU) has warned.
Briefing the media on Friday in Nairobi, on Kenya’s Election Follow – Up Mission, the Head of the EU follow-up Mission, Ivan Stefanec, highlighted the lack of tangible progress in adopting the 21 recommendations proposed after the 2022 election, seven of which were marked as priorities.
According to Stefanec, the seven priority recommendations include providing funds to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for continuous voter education, implementing improvements in electoral technology through regular audits and stakeholder consultation.
Others include, operationalizing the Election Campaign Financing Act to regulate campaign expenditures effectively, detailing the legal definition of hate speech in line with international human rights obligations, removing sections 22 and 23 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, and establishing clear procedures for managing staff and the flow of information at tallying centers to increase the consistency and efficiency of the electoral process.
“The delay in appointing new IEBC Commissioners has led to the postponement of by-elections and boundaries delimitation, has halted continuous voter registration, and compromised the overall preparations for the 2027 election,” stated Stefanec.
The Head of the EU follow-up Mission stressed the importance of reconstituting IEBC without further delays and provision of adequate funds to enable the Commission prepare for the 2027 election.
He added that government should also ensure there is, continuous voter registration, operationalization of the Campaign Finance Act, and clear legal frameworks for hate speech and disinformation.
The Head of the EU follow-up Mission said the reconstitution of IEBC will enable the citizenry to register as voters, exercise their right to vote and stand as candidates, in line with Kenya’s international and regional commitments.
Stefanec told IEBC to build trust in its work, to strengthen its independence, and ensure transparency in the electoral process, while fostering inclusion and cooperation among electoral stakeholders.
The mission expressed concern on the absence of a new IEBC chairperson and commissioners, noting that the vacuum has stalled critical processes, singling out pending by-elections and boundary reviews, has halted voter registration thereby compromising electoral preparation.
“The window for comprehensive reforms is narrowing. If these recommendations are not implemented soon, the integrity of the 2027 election could be at risk,” the Head of the Mission warned.
He at the same time announced that when he spoke to stakeholders in the country, they assured the Mission that discussions are ongoing, with some progress made on legislative proposals, including amendments to the hate speech definition and campaign finance regulations.
“However, many reforms remain stalled due to the lack of an operational IEBC,” he noted.
The EU mission urged Kenyan institutions to fast-track the reforms, emphasizing that timely funding, stakeholder cooperation, and transparent processes are essential for credible elections.
The Mission promised to release a comprehensive report on their findings by mid-April this year.
As the countdown to the 2027 General Election continues, the focus now shifts to Parliament and other key institutions to see if they can rise to the challenge and implement the much-needed reforms.
By Emmanuel Mbuthia and Mark Muasa