The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has termed utterances by certain political actors alleging that they will influence the electoral process in the 2027 presidential election through extralegal mechanisms, as unacceptable, reckless, and entirely baseless
In a statement, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon warned that the utterances, which have elicited considerable disquiet within the electoral environment, pose a real risk of distorting public perception of Kenya’s democratic processes.
“IEBC considers such utterances to be unacceptable, reckless, and entirely baseless,” he noted.
He noted that the utterances are intended to instill fear, mislead the public and erode confidence in the integrity of the electoral system, urging Kenyans to disregard, dissociate and refrain from amplifying them.
He reaffirmed that under Article 88 of the Constitution, the mandate to conduct and supervise elections is exclusively vested in IEBC.
“For avoidance of doubt, the duty and responsibility of conducting and supervising elections in Kenya is exclusively vested in the IEBC under Article 88 of the Constitution of Kenya. This mandate is not shared with, nor can it be usurped by, any individual, institution or political actor,” he noted.
According to Ekathon, Kenya has, over time, built a resilient and vibrant democracy that is reliable, credible, verifiable, and anchored in the rule of law.
The country’s leadership bears a responsibility to safeguard these gains and must therefore refrain from making unverified, inflammatory or misleading statements relating to vote-rigging or voter manipulation, which only serve to undermine public confidence in electoral processes and the IEBC’s independence.
Further, IEBC termed assertions suggesting that the Commission is weak, compromised or susceptible to external influence, as false and misleading terming them “deeply disrespectful to the institution and the constitutional role it plays in safeguarding the sovereign will of the people.”
The Cmmission also urged eligible Kenyans to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise ahead of the 2027 polls.
At the same time, IEBC noted that it shall engage the relevant authorities for appropriate action noting that it was time political actors stopped hoodwinking the public that the election will be rigged.
“It is time political actors stopped hoodwinking the public that the election will be rigged and instead start embracing the steps set out on the country’s preparedness to conduct the 2027 General Election. Let everyone respect institutional independence as guaranteed in the Constitution,” Ekathon stated.
The Commission further clarified that no elections have been declared and there is currently no official publication of the 2027 General Election.
“In this regard, IEBC encourages all eligible Kenyans to take advantage of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) at Constituency offices, Huduma Centres across the country and the Customer Care Centre at Anniversary Towers, Nairobi,” he said.
He urged citizens to prepare to exercise their democratic right to elect leaders of their choice in the upcoming 2027 General Election.
“Our nation depends on every citizen to uphold the values of peace, stability and prosperity through their active participation in the electoral process,” he urged.
IEBC reaffirmed its commitment to delivering a 2027 General Election that will be free, fair and credible in accordance with the laws of Kenya and international best practices.
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