KENYAN MPs PASS BILL TO STOP LIVESTREAMING OF 2027 ELECTION RESULTS
KENYAN lawmakers have passed a controversial bill seeking to remove the legal requirement for livestreaming election results, sparking concerns over transparency ahead of the country’s 2027 general elections.
The Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2024, seeks to remove the obligation requiring the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to broadcast polling station results live as they are announced.
The move means that Kenyans may no longer be guaranteed the opportunity to follow election results in real time through an official livestream during the August 2027 elections.
However, the proposed changes do not abolish electronic transmission of presidential results or the publication of polling station result forms online.
The legislation has triggered debate, with critics warning that removing mandatory livestreaming could weaken public scrutiny of the electoral process and make it more difficult for citizens to independently verify results.
Former Attorney General Justin Muturi has opposed the proposal, arguing that livestreaming strengthens transparency, accountability and public confidence in elections.
Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei has also defended live transmission, saying technological challenges should be addressed rather than used as justification for removing the system.
Supporters of the changes argue that existing electoral safeguards, including electronic transmission, verification and publication of results, provide sufficient mechanisms for accountability.
The IEBC has distanced itself from the proposed legislation, maintaining that it did not draft or sponsor the bill.
The controversy comes as Kenya prepares for its next general elections, scheduled for August 10, 2027, when President William Ruto is expected to seek another term.
Kenya has a history of disputed presidential elections, including the deadly violence that followed the December 2007 election and the Supreme Court’s annulment of the August 2017 presidential election.
The proposed changes have therefore revived questions about electoral credibility and the public’s ability to monitor vote counting.
The bill would remove the legal obligation to livestream results, although the electoral commission could still choose to provide live coverage.
Attention now turns to the remaining legislative process and whether the changes will take effect before the 2027 elections.