Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission

Also known as: IEBC · IEBC Chairperson

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission — Kenya's electoral body responsible for conducting general elections and managing candidacy clearance, central to 2027 election transparency debates.

2026-04-242026-10-27

News reports

Order a long-term news report on Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission

Every mention in the Kenyan press over the period you choose, compiled as a PDF or Word document.

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

October 2026
1 OctThe Standard
… He noted that it is a question for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Parliament, security agencies and ultimately the courts, not for ethnic rallies and political bravado. …
Muturi warns leaders against reckless ethnic rhetoric ahead of 2027
1 OctThe Standard
… gence of hired crowds allegedly armed and mobilised to disrupt meetings, beat, maim, kill and destroy property in the name of political supremacy.They called on relevant institutions to take action against such groups. “We call upon the National Police Service, DCI, NCIC and IEBC …
Clergy raise alarm over rising political tensions, corruption and ethnic division
September 2026
29 SeptThe Standard
The Standard’s cross-border vote smuggling investigation continued to draw strong reactions on Monday, with both the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) issuing formal statements denying the allegations and q …
IEBC, DCI Deny cross-border vote smuggling allegations as The Standard defends investigation
29 SeptThe Standard
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) The Ministry of Interior and National Administration through the National Registration Bureau (NRB) have been accused of selective voter and identity card registration to pro government regions such as Rift Valley, North …
IEBC, Interior Ministry in spotlight over alleged ID, voter enrolment scheme
29 SeptThe Standard
… o in Uganda.Although Interior Cabinet Secretary Murkomen rightly says that Kenyans in Uganda have a right to get IDs and other documents, that should not be done under the cover of darkness as has clearly been happening, as even the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission …
Treat allegations of plot to rig elections with the seriousness they deserve
29 SeptThe Standard
The Standard’s cross-border vote smuggling investigation continued to draw strong reactions on Monday, with both the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) issuing formal statements denying the allegations and q …
Border voter dispute deepens as IEBC, DCI deny smuggling claims
29 SeptThe Standard
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) The Ministry of Interior and National Administration through the National Registration Bureau (NRB) have been accused of selective voter and identity card registration to pro government regions such as Rift Valley, North …
Why IEBC, Interior Ministry are in spotlight over alleged ID and voter enrolment scheme
28 SeptCitizen Digital
… The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) said that Ruto received 7,176,141 (50.49 per cent) of the votes, narrowly beating his rival, Raila Odinga, who managed 6,942,930 votes (48.85 per cent). …
Blinded by power! Jubilee hits back at Ruto after attacking Uhuru
28 SeptCapital News
… The DCI said no officer was involved in the alleged incident, disputing claims that three occupants of the vehicle were questioned and that voter registration materials belonging to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) were seized. …
DCI rejects report linking officer to alleged election materials interception
28 SeptCitizen Digital
IEBC dismisses claims of voter smuggling at Kenya-Uganda border By Terry Karanja September 28, 2026 09:36 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon during a past appearance. …
IEBC dismisses claims of voter smuggling at Kenya-Uganda border

Politics

MPs reject amendment on election results livestreaming mechanism

The News

Members of the National Assembly have rejected an amendment addressing a legal defect in Section 39(1G) of the Elections Act, which requires the IEBC to livestream results from polling stations but states those results are for public information only and cannot form the basis of a final declaration. The High Court declared the provision unconstitutional in 2018, a finding upheld by the Court of Appeal in 2023, raising questions about how results will be relayed during the 2027 General Election.

12 hours ago · Citizen Digital →

Yesterday

MPs reject amendment on election results livestreaming mechanism
Members of the National Assembly have rejected an amendment addressing a legal defect in Section 39(1G) of the Elections Act, which requires the IEBC to livestream results from polling stations but states those results are for public information only and cannot form the basis of a final declaration. The High Court declared the provision unconstitutional in 2018, a finding upheld by the Court of Appeal in 2023, raising questions about how results will be relayed during the 2027 General Election.
12 hours ago · Citizen Digital →
Opposition leaders oppose Elections Bill removing livestream requirements
Opposition leaders, including PPK's Ndindi Nyoro and Jubilee's Fred Matiang'i, have condemned a proposed Elections Amendment Bill that would remove livestreaming of election results at polling stations, arguing it would undermine transparency and voters' democratic right to monitor counting and announcement of results ahead of the 2027 General Election.
26 October 2026 · Capital News →
Ruto dismisses claims of livestreaming ban as propaganda
President William Ruto has rejected claims that livestreaming of election results has been banned, calling them propaganda and insisting Kenyans should receive results as early as possible. The controversy arose amid parliamentary amendments to the Elections Act ahead of the August 2027 General Election, though government officials say the IEBC's livestreaming requirement remains intact.
26 October 2026 · Capital News →
Kindiki warns politicians against electoral violence ahead of 2027 polls
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has ruled out government interference in next year's General Election and assured Kenyans that their democratic choices will be protected and political violence will not be tolerated. He maintained that the government would uphold electoral transparency, dismissing suggestions that it could undermine the credibility of the 2027 polls.
26 October 2026 · The Standard →

Sunday 25 October

United Opposition warns against IEBC autonomy interference
Opposition leaders have warned Parliament against interfering with the IEBC's autonomy, stating they will announce polling station results in the 2027 General Election if the commission is banned from livestreaming results. They view recent electoral laws amendments as an attempt to arm-twist the IEBC, despite a High Court ruling upholding the constitutionality of the national tallying and verification process.
25 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Ruto denies government plot to stop election livestreaming
President William Ruto dismissed allegations that the government plans to ban the livestreaming of election results, calling the claims propaganda and accusing opposition leaders of spreading misinformation. The National Assembly also dismissed the claims, stating that amendments it passed retained the requirement for the IEBC to establish a mechanism for livestreaming election results.
25 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Muturi urges binding livestreaming rules for 2027 election
Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has called for enforceable guidelines to govern livestreaming during the 2027 General Election, citing disruptions during the 2022 results announcement that fueled suspicion and eroded public trust. He wants the Ministry of Information, Media Council of Kenya, political parties and the IEBC to agree on a protocol guaranteeing public access to electoral information and requiring clear explanations for any livestream interruptions.
25 October 2026 · Capital News →

Saturday 24 October

Government clarifies livestreaming requirement retained in Elections Bill
The State Department for Parliamentary Affairs has clarified that the Elections (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2024, retains the requirement for the IEBC to establish a mechanism for livestreaming election results ahead of the 2027 General Election, dismissing reports that amendments had removed the provision.
24 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
National Assembly passes bill removing livestreaming election results requirement
The National Assembly passed the Elections (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2024, which removes the legal requirement for livestreaming election results. Political leaders, lawyers, and civil society groups have opposed the change, warning it threatens electoral transparency ahead of the 2027 General Election and weakens safeguards for voter choice.
24 October 2026 · The Standard →
Parliament did not pass bill stopping IEBC livestreaming, Wandayi says
Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi dismissed claims that Parliament passed a bill to stop the IEBC from livestreaming election results, stating that the National Assembly deleted the controversial Clause 22 of the Elections (Amendment) Bill after public participation and a High Court judgment, preserving the existing Section 39 which provides for livestreaming.
24 October 2026 · The Standard →

Friday 23 October

Muturi urges IEBC to expedite ballot procurement ahead of 2027
Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi has called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to conclude its election-related procurement processes transparently and within timelines, following the opening of six bids for electoral technology equipment ahead of the 2027 general election.
23 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Babu Owino's party opposes removal of polling station livestream requirement
The Mwananchi Party has opposed proposed changes to Kenya's electoral laws that would remove the mandatory live-streaming of election results at polling stations, calling on the Senate and National Assembly Mediation Committee to reinstate the legal requirement for the IEBC to livestream results from all polling stations.
23 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Election Amendment Bill retains livestreaming requirement, Parliament clarifies
Parliament clarified that it deleted Clause 22 of the Elections (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2024, thereby retaining the requirement for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to establish a mechanism for livestreaming results announced at polling stations, addressing public concerns about electoral transparency ahead of the 2027 General Election.
23 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
High Court certifies petition on presidential results live-streaming requirement
The High Court has certified as urgent a petition by advocate John Muremi Njomo challenging changes to the Elections (Amendment) Bill 2024, specifically whether Parliament removed the requirement for live transmission of presidential election results. The National Assembly Majority Leader has denied that amendments removed the live-streaming provision.
23 October 2026 · Capital News →
Petition filed to block removal of election results live-streaming
A lawyer has filed a petition at Milimani High Court seeking to stop Parliament from forwarding an Elections Amendment Bill to the President if it removes the requirement for live-streaming election results announced at polling stations. The petition challenges Clause 22 of Senate Bill No. 29 of 2024, which would repeal the live-streaming obligation under the Elections Act.
23 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Elections Amendment Bill preserves live streaming of results
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah has dismissed claims that MPs removed the live-streaming requirement for election results, stating that neither the Senate nor the National Assembly tampered with the provision. Section 39(1G) of the Elections Act requires the IEBC to establish a mechanism for live streaming results as announced at polling stations, and this requirement remains unchanged.
23 October 2026 · Capital News →
Former LSK chair calls for clarity on election livestreaming law
A former Law Society of Kenya chairperson has urged Parliament to publish the approved text of the Elections (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2024, and clarify whether it guarantees public livestreaming of polling-station results. The statement noted that Clause 22 of the published Bill does not expressly require livestreaming, retaining only electronic transmission and online publication provisions, and asked Parliament to clarify whether this omission survived MPs' amendments.
23 October 2026 · Capital News →
National Assembly passes Elections Amendment Bill removing livestreaming requirement
Kenya's National Assembly has passed the Elections (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2024, which removes the legal requirement for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to livestream election results as they are announced at polling stations, sparking debate over transparency and public access ahead of the 2027 General Election.
23 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
IEBC clears six candidates for Migwani Ward by-election
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has cleared six candidates to contest in the Migwani County Assembly Ward by-election, scheduled for November 17, with campaigns now underway. The seat fell vacant after former MCA Harrison Maluki Mawia resigned to become Clerk of the Kitui County Assembly.
23 October 2026 · Capital News →
IEBC chief pledges transparency, public participation for 2027 election
IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon called for greater transparency, accountability and public participation to strengthen confidence in Kenya's democratic institutions ahead of the 2027 General Election, saying electoral credibility depends on transparent procedures, reliable information access and meaningful citizen engagement.
23 October 2026 · Capital News →
MPs block IEBC livestreaming of election results at polling stations
Following MPs' passage of the Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2024, the IEBC will no longer livestream results at polling stations in forthcoming elections, preventing members of the public from watching results announced in real time as they could in previous elections.
23 October 2026 · The Standard →
Ruto urged to reject election bill removing livestream mandate
Civic youth organisation Taifa Mpya has called on President William Ruto to reject the Elections (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2024, warning that removing the mandatory livestreaming of election results could undermine transparency ahead of the 2027 General Election. The group's chairman said the move weakens a safeguard that allows Kenyans to follow results as announced, with reforms in place since 2016.
23 October 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 22 October

Nyoro accuses Gachagua of propaganda, urges focus on ousting Ruto
PPK leader Ndindi Nyoro has accused DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua of launching propaganda attacks against him rather than uniting the opposition against President William Ruto ahead of the 2027 General Election. Nyoro claimed Gachagua's party has established a media team to portray him as a government project and is using vernacular radio stations to discredit him instead of challenging Ruto.
22 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Political negotiations ahead of 2027 must prioritize Kenyans' concerns
As UDA and ODM engage in alliance talks ahead of the 2027 election, an opinion piece argues that political negotiations should prioritize citizens' needs—including cost of living, unemployment, education, and public services—rather than focus solely on power-sharing arrangements.
22 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
UDA secretary-general tells IEBC remarks on 2027 election were figurative
Hassan Omar, UDA Secretary-General, defended himself before the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission by saying his remarks about the 2027 general election were figurative language, not intentions to rig the vote. His original comments had raised concerns about election manipulation rhetoric and willingness among political actors to consider irregular means to secure victory for President William Ruto.
22 October 2026 · The Standard →
Live-streaming election results builds trust, says PS Sing'oei
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Singoei says real-time transmission of election results promotes transparency and international confidence in Kenya's elections, and that technological challenges should be addressed through improvements rather than scrapping the system.
22 October 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 21 October

UDA SG Omar defends controversial remarks about dead voters
UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar appeared before the IEBC disciplinary committee to defend remarks suggesting the fingerprints of deceased Kenyans could be used to cast ballots for President Ruto in 2027, claiming his words were a metaphor taken out of context to urge voter registration on the Coast.
21 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Kenya's Constitution risks unfulfilled without tangible democratic delivery
At the Global Trust Summit in Nairobi, speakers warned that Kenya's progressive Constitution cannot deliver its promise unless leaders and public institutions translate democratic guarantees into tangible results, accountability and meaningful citizen participation. Chief Justice Emeritus Willy Mutunga said those in power find constitutional provisions inconvenient and are unwilling to implement them, while other speakers emphasised that rebuilding public confidence requires changes in institutional processes, personnel and direction, not just improved messaging.
21 October 2026 · Capital News →
Parliament considers removing election results livestreaming requirement
Parliament is considering legal changes that would remove the mandatory live transmission of election results from polling stations, a practice established after the 2007 post-election violence to ensure transparency and prevent result manipulation during tallying.
21 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
UDA secretary-general says remarks on deceased voters were satirical
UDA Secretary-General Hassan Omar told the IEBC that his controversial remarks about using deceased persons' data in the 2027 election were made in satire during a voter registration exercise and had been taken out of context and politically spun.
21 October 2026 · Capital News →