Former Chief Justice Maraga Calls for IEBC Reforms Ahead of 2027 Election

The People’s Coalition on Electoral Reforms, led by former Chief Justice David Maraga, warned that Kenya faces a risk of rigging in the August 2027 General Election and demanded urgent changes to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission and election law.

Maraga told journalists in Nairobi on Monday, October 26, 2026, that the coalition has declared a 288-day period of national electoral-integrity vigilance and has submitted amendment proposals to both the National Assembly and the Senate.

The coalition’s four core proposals seek to make polling-station results final, require electronic transmission of voter-turnout data every hour on election day, mandate live streaming of constituency declarations on a public portal, and replace centralised IEBC servers with a read-only aggregation system in an open public space in Nairobi.

Maraga said the proposals would eliminate the “classic fraud of injecting ‘ghost voters’ after polls close” and would confine the IEBC chairperson and commissioners to a role of streaming, displaying and aggregating results only.

He added that Parliament’s recent decision to drop the amendment to Section 39 of the Elections Act leaves provisions previously declared unconstitutional by the High Court on April 7, 2017 and affirmed by the Court of Appeal in the Maina Kiai case intact.

Saboti MP Caleb Amisi, leader of the People’s Renaissance Movement, warned that lack of trust in the electoral process has historically sparked ethnic conflict and cited the Maina Kiai ruling that Section 39(2) and (3) of the Elections Act infringes the Constitution.

Democratic National Alliance leader Godfrey Kanoni noted that similar reform proposals have been discussed since the 1992 multi-party elections and referenced the 2016 Joint Parliamentary Select Committee’s recommendations on finalising polling-station results.

The coalition, which includes parties, faith-based organisations, professional associations, civil society groups, academics and student movements, also called for abolishing the national presidential tallying centre, regular audits of the voters’ register, constitutionally compliant election technology, criminal liability for officials who breach election law and transparent recruitment of election staff.

Co-convenors of the coalition – former Attorney-General and former National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi and Suba South MP Caroli Omondi – said a fresh amendment Bill will be tabled in both houses and a multi-stakeholder conference will be convened within two weeks, alongside nationwide civic education.

Maraga, also co-party leader of the United Green Movement, said the coalition’s demands are aimed at preventing the President and Parliament from rigging the election.

President William Ruto dismissed the coalition’s claims as propaganda and fake news, stating at AIC Kasina in Mwingi, Kitui County on Sunday, October 25, that “Results is a right of Kenyans”.