The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has dismissed media reports claiming that the proposed Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 seeks to abolish electronic transmission of election results, ban live broadcasting of poll results, and reintroduce the manual voting system used during the 2007 General Election.
In a statement, the Commission described the reports as erroneous and a misrepresentation of the contents of the Bill currently before Parliament.
IEBC clarified that the proposed legislation does not seek to amend Section 44 of the Elections Act, which provides for the use of the Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS) for voter registration, voter identification, and electronic transmission of election results.
The Commission explained that the Bill introduces a complementary mechanism for transmitting results in areas where electronic transmission is not possible due to the lack of a 3G network, which is the minimum requirement for sending election result forms electronically.
According to the Commission, the proposed changes are intended to align the law with the Supreme Court’s decision in the 2017 Presidential Election Petition No. 1. The court affirmed that the official election result is the one recorded in the statutory Results Declaration Form 34A at the polling station, making it the primary and final record of the outcome.
IEBC noted that under the proposed framework, the Commission will continue verifying election results by comparing the original physical Form 34A with the electronically transmitted image of the same form from the polling station.
The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to credible elections, saying it remains dedicated to safeguarding the integrity, transparency, and credibility of the electoral process while ensuring that every election accurately reflects the sovereign will of the Kenyan people.
