Election observers have raised concerns over the slow pace of preparations for the 2027 elections, warning that delays could undermine the credibility of the process.

The European Union’s Ambassador to Kenya, Henriette Geiger, cautioned that while the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) managed to oversee the 2022 elections despite challenges, a repeat of such rushed planning could put the country’s democracy at risk.

“There is enough concern at the rate of preparation for the 2027 election, given the short time before it. Though the commission was able to pull it off last time, the prudent principle is having enough time for adequate preparation to secure the democratic process and ensure stability of the country,” Geiger said during a seminar of election observers in Nairobi.

The seminar, hosted by the Election Observer Group (ELOG), brought together electoral experts from across Africa.

Geiger noted that without the IEBC commissioners currently in place, key processes such as boundary delimitation and pending by-elections remain unaddressed, leaving some Kenyans without representation.

“Boundaries delimitation has not been done, and a handful of by-elections have not been done, among other key milestones that the commission needs to do as custodian of a democratic process,” she said.

ELOG Head Mulle Musau emphasized the importance of restoring public trust in the IEBC once new commissioners are appointed.

“For me, the most pressing task for the new commission is to build back public confidence in its processes and capacity to deliver a credible election, starting with the pending by-elections that have had millions of Kenyans unrepresented,” Musau said.

He also called for an overhaul of the voter register to eliminate doubts about its credibility.

“All the concerns recently raised by SK Macharia on the register of voters have been consistently raised by ELOG since 2012, but no one pays attention,” he noted.

“We want the new commission to start by cleaning the current register and put up a new one that is above board, available for inspection and can guarantee a credible and predictable process but an unpredictable outcome.”

Observers further criticized the government for failing to act on their recommendations, arguing that this contributes to recurring election challenges.

“We have noted that observers tend to make similar recommendations from time to time because they are not acted upon and hence no one pays attention in organising the polls. Kenyans should know that observers are their eyes and ears in the process and should be supported and have their voices heard,” Musau said.