Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to working with the United Nations and other partners to ensure that the 2027 General Election is transparent, credible, free, fair and peaceful.
Mudavadi made the remarks when he met Akinyemi Adegbola, the Principal Electoral Advisor for the UN East Africa Division and head of the United Nations Needs Assessment Mission (NAM), and his delegation at his Railways office in Nairobi.
“This is a critical step in ensuring that Kenya continues to consolidate its democratic gains and uphold the integrity of its electoral system,” Mudavadi said.
“Kenya will continue to fulfil its obligations to foster democratic governance and safeguard the credibility of its elections.”
The PCS noted that the government is taking deliberate measures to strengthen the electoral process while respecting the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s independence.
He praised the team’s mission to objectively evaluate Kenya’s political and electoral environment and to make recommendations on how the UN can best support the country’s electoral preparedness.
“Our engagement will not interfere with IEBC’s autonomy. We understand our limits and boundaries to ensure that its integrity remains intact,” he said.
“It is our desire that the 2027 General Election be successful, promote stability, and reinforce Kenya’s standing as a benchmark for credible elections in the region and across the continent.”
Mudavadi urged the UN delegation to consider the growing influence of technology, social media, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their assessment, noting their potential impact on the upcoming elections.
The NAM delegation is in the country on the invitation of the IEBC chairperson, Erastus Ethekon.
He emphasized the importance of early preparedness among IEBC officials, security agencies, and other stakeholders.
“We also want faith-based organizations, civil society, the judiciary, and other actors to play a proactive role during the electioneering period,” he said.
Adegbola, on his part, said the UN mission would take the assessment seriously and begin its work soon.
“We always approach such requests with modesty. It is important to strike a balance between engaging in politics and remaining objective to ensure our assessment responds to real issues,” he said.
He also noted that the UN’s involvement in Kenya has evolved over time and is now more focused on specific areas of need rather than election logistics.