Advocate of the High Court Harrison Kinyanjui has raised concerns about the potential manipulation of election results in Kenya if political parties do not deploy and train agents to monitor voting and safeguard ballot boxes. In an interview on Radio Generation, Kinyanjui emphasized the importance of party agents in ensuring the integrity of the electoral process, stating that they are supposed to be the eyes of their parties at polling stations. He noted that gaps in the management and transmission of election results could create opportunities for manipulation between polling stations, constituency tallying centers, and the national tallying center.
Kinyanjui highlighted the risks of manipulation at polling stations and during tallying, particularly where biometric voter identification fails and officials resort to manual registers. He warned that without party agents, the opposing side may have an opportunity to alter results. The Advocate stressed that party agents should be present at all stages of the process to independently verify results and raise objections where necessary. He drew on his experience in election petitions, emphasizing that results declared at polling stations and constituency tallying centers should retain their legal force and not be altered administratively.
The Advocate also expressed concerns about delays in the announcement of results, stating that gaps in the process could create opportunities for figures to be altered before presidential results are declared nationally. He urged political parties to ensure their agents are present across the country to verify results at every stage of the process. Kinyanjui's comments come as preparations for the 2027 General Election gather pace, alongside growing calls for changes to Kenya's electoral laws and systems.
The People’s Coalition on Electoral Reforms, led by former Chief Justice David Maraga, has called for amendments to the Elections Act and related regulations by November 30, 2026. The coalition is also demanding an independent audit and public inspection of the voters’ register. They have further called for the scrapping of the national presidential tallying center at Bomas of Kenya, arguing that results declared at polling stations and constituencies should not be retallied or altered at a central venue.
Kinyanjui questioned the accessibility and auditability of the voters’ register and election technology, stating that voters should be able to establish where they are registered before election day. The Maraga-led coalition has similarly called for mandatory biometric voter identification and fully functional KIEMS kits with backup power and transmission capability as part of its proposed electoral safeguards.
The Advocate's warnings and the coalition's proposals highlight the need for electoral reforms in Kenya. With 37 political parties facing a November deadline to qualify for the 2027 polls, the importance of ensuring the integrity of the electoral process has become increasingly pressing. The government's handling of the electoral process has faced criticism, with some questioning the independence of the IEBC.
As Kenya prepares for the 2027 General Election, stakeholders are emphasizing the need for a robust electoral system. The Advocate's call for strong party agents and the coalition's proposals for electoral reforms aim to ensure that the electoral process is transparent, accountable, and free from manipulation. With the elections approaching, it remains to be seen how these concerns will be addressed.
Key points
- Advocate Harrison Kinyanjui warns that without strong party agents, election results in Kenya are at risk of manipulation.
- The People’s Coalition on Electoral Reforms has called for amendments to the Elections Act and related regulations by November 30, 2026.
- The coalition has proposed electoral safeguards, including mandatory biometric voter identification and fully functional KIEMS kits.
