The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has announced in a statement that it will postpone the review and delimitation of electoral boundaries until after the 2027 General Election.
The decision, made amid constitutional deadlines, ongoing litigation, and logistical constraints, has laid bare the delicate balance between the electoral body’s legal compliance and its operational readiness that has historically defined Kenya’s electoral credibility.
IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon on Tuesday said the commission will adopt a phased approach, focusing on preparatory and technical groundwork while deferring boundary adjustments until legal and institutional hurdles are resolved.
“This decision reflects the commission’s commitment to constitutionalism while ensuring the integrity of the electoral process,” Ethekon stated in a statement.
Under Article 89 of the Constitution, the IEBC is mandated to review electoral boundaries every eight to twelve years. The last review concluded in 2012, meaning the next should have been completed by March 2024.
However, the commission chairperson acknowledged that this deadline has already lapsed, citing the absence of commissioners between January 2023 and July 2025 as a major impediment.
Institutional Gaps and Legal Hurdles
The IEBC secretariat had initiated preparatory work as early as 2019, including situational analyses, pilot studies, and the acquisition of GIS and geolocation systems. Yet, without commissioners to provide policy direction and oversight, progress stalled. The situation was compounded by the judicial invalidation of parts of the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census data in northern Kenya.
In January 2025, the High Court in Garissa nullified census results for Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera counties, affecting 14 of the 17 constituencies in the region. The Court of Appeal later maintained the status quo pending further determination. The IEBC has since stated that it cannot rely on the disputed census figures to calculate population quotas, a prerequisite for publishing a preliminary boundary review report.
“The commission requires a valid and legally binding census report to determine the population quota. Until the courts resolve the litigation around the census, our work will remain hindered,” Ethekon explained.
Historical Context: Lessons from 2013, 2017, and 2022
Kenya’s electoral history since the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution reveals a recurring pattern of institutional strain and adaptive management within the IEBC.
2013 Elections:
The 2013 polls were the first under the new constitutional order and the newly established IEBC. The commission faced immense pressure to deliver credible elections while implementing new technologies such as biometric voter registration (BVR) and electronic results transmission. Despite logistical challenges and system failures, the IEBC managed to conduct the elections, though the presidential results were contested at the Supreme Court under Dr. Willy Mutunga.
2017 Elections:
The 2017 elections marked a turning point in Kenya’s electoral jurisprudence. Chief Justice David Maraga’s Supreme Court annulled the presidential election results, citing irregularities and illegalities in the transmission of results. The IEBC, led by Wafula Chebukati, was forced to conduct a repeat election within 60 days, exposing deep institutional divisions and eroding public trust. NASA candidate at that time, Raila Odinga, boycotted the repeat polls against Jubilee Coalition’s Uhuru Kenyatta.
The 2017 experience was a turning point in Kenya’s electoral process, and it emphasised the need for stronger internal IEBC governance, transparent technology deployment during the electoral process, and improved stakeholder engagement between the IEBC and political players.
2022 Elections:
By 2022, the IEBC had made significant strides in technology and transparency. The introduction of the Kenya Integrated Election Management System (KIEMS) improved voter identification and results transmission. However, the commission was again marred by internal dissent, culminating in a public split among commissioners during the presidential results announcement. The subsequent Supreme Court ruling upheld the results but highlighted governance weaknesses within the commission.
2027 Polls: Continuity Amid Constraints
The 2027 elections will test the IEBC’s ability to maintain operational continuity, while navigating unresolved legal and institutional challenges. The delayed boundary review means the elections will be conducted using the same constituencies and wards established in 2012, despite huge demographic shifts over the past decade.
While this decision may delay administrative chaos within the commission in the short term, it raises questions about equitable representation and compliance with 2010 constitutional timelines. However, my crystal ball discerns that the commission’s phased approach, prioritizing technical readiness, staff training, and stakeholder engagement, is a pragmatic strategy aimed at safeguarding electoral integrity within existing constraints.
The Road Ahead
The IEBC’s preparedness for 2027 will depend on three critical factors: the timely resolution of census-related litigation, the stability of its leadership, and the adequacy of funding from the National Treasury.
As Kenya approaches another electoral cycle, the commission’s challenge lies not only in managing the vote but also in restoring public confidence in its institutional independence and technical competence.
The postponement of boundary delimitation may be a temporary measure, but it reflects a broader truth about Kenya’s electoral management, where law, politics, and logistics continually intersect, shaping the country’s democratic trajectory.
Leave a Reply