2027 polls will proceed as scheduled, IEBC CEO Marjan says

The 2027 General Election will be held as scheduled under the 2010 Constitution, Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) CEO Hussein Marjan has said, dismissing claims by some politicians that the polls may not take place.

Speaking during a consultative roundtable with the Kenya Media Sector Working Group and the Electoral Law and Governance Institute for Africa on Wednesday, August 6, Marjan reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to constitutional timelines.

His remarks follow recent statements by a section of politicians questioning the credibility and future of the elections.

Last month, the commission issued a statement condemning what it called reckless and misleading allegations of electoral malpractice.

“These claims are not only unfounded but also dangerous in a democratic society such as ours,” the Commission said, urging Kenyans to disassociate themselves from such sentiments.

IEBC urged political leaders and other actors to refrain from making statements that undermine confidence in the electoral process. “Let us work together to foster transparency, accountability, and stability.”

On his part, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon echoed the electoral agency’s position, saying preparations for the 2027 polls are on track.

‘’Last week, we had a fruitful engagement with the National Assembly leadership, and in coming days and weeks, we plan to engage the judiciary because they are key actors in the electoral cycle. Some of the issues that we need to address - the General Election, I think we will hold it as per the schedule, which is August 2027, unless we get orders to the contrary,” said Ethekon.

Ethekon, who also spoke at the meeting, called on electoral stakeholders to support the commission’s efforts.

“As a commission, we learn, think, innovate, and take action. We can't sit in our boardrooms and assume we have all the solutions; that's why we're reaching out to as many partners as possible,” he said.

He noted that IEBC has already engaged with several institutions, including the Media Council of Kenya, the United Nations system, and international development partners.

By-elections

The IEBC chairperson also announced that preparations for the upcoming by-elections are in advanced stages, with vacancies resulting from various reasons.

“We will announce the date and time in a week. We should finalise the by-elections by the end of this year.”