Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Chair Erastus Ethekon has assured the country that the 2027 General Elections will be free and fair, ruling out the possibility of rigging the election.
This comes amid concerns among sections of Kenyans who have raised fears of vote-rigging in the presidential elections after a section of leaders vowed to ensure President William Ruto is elected by all means.
But speaking in Nairobi on Wednesday In Nairobi, Ethekon allayed the fears of electoral malpractice, terming them as ‘impossible.’
“I personally don’t think there will be the stealing of votes. It is impossible!” he said.
“If there are loopholes, please point them out to the media.”
He emphasised the commission’s commitment to streamlining electoral processes ahead of the August 2027 polls.
“We need to perfect our electoral processes and systems. We deal with numbers, not feelings or perceptions,” Ethekon said.
He noted that Kenya’s legal framework provides clear avenues for candidates to challenge results if dissatisfied.
“If there are any challenges that the candidates have after the elections, Kenya has laws, and the candidates can go to court,” he said.
Addressing public scepticism about the commission’s credibility, Ethekon pointed to the transparency surrounding his appointment and vetting process.
“From the moment of shortlisting, the interviews, the vetting, everything was out there. Kenyans were asked to dig the dirt and bring it out. We went through that successfully. We were even taken to court, and they pronounced themselves,” he explained.
He urged Kenyans to give the new commission a chance to rebuild trust in the electoral system.
“I don’t know what more we can do as human beings to shed off what a section of Kenyans is trying to pin on us. Some of you might help us. We signed up to do a job for Kenyans. Our elections are highly regulated by the law,” Ethekon said.
“I look at it as an issue of perception. Give us a chance so that we can work together and build trust and confidence in our electoral system.”
Ethekon reiterated that the IEBC’s focus is on delivering credible, transparent, and lawful elections in 2027.
The remarks also come days after Wajir Woman Representative Fatuma Jeho controversially claimed that they would "steal votes" in 2027 to ensure Ruto’s second term; a statement that drew swift backlash from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
“We are just waiting for the 2027 general polls, and even if there are no votes, we will steal, and that is not a secret,” Jeho said during a recent rally.
In a strongly worded response, IEBC condemned the remarks as “reckless and unacceptable,” and urged Kenyans to disregard such claims, reassuring the public of its commitment to a transparent electoral process.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi also weighed in, cautioning political leaders against making careless statements that could jeopardise public trust in the electoral process.
“Such remarks, whether made in jest or not, risk eroding confidence in institutions that safeguard our democracy,” he warned
