The European Union Election Follow-up Mission (EU EFM) has called on the government to expedite electoral reforms to ensure a transparent, inclusive, and peaceful 2027 General Election.
Addressing a press conference in Nairobi, the mission’s head, Ivan Štefanec, expressed concern over the slow implementation of recommendations made by the EU Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) in 2022.
While acknowledging ongoing discussions on electoral reforms, Štefanec noted that little tangible progress had been made.
“The delay in appointing new IEBC commissioners has effectively postponed pending by-elections and the boundaries delimitation, halted continuous voter registration, and compromised the overall preparations for the 2027 elections. It is essential that the IEBC is reconstituted without further delays and has adequate and timely allocated funding to prepare for the 2027 elections,” he said
The EU EOM 2022 issued 21 recommendations, including allocating sufficient funds to the IEBC for continuous voter education, enhancing electoral technology through regular audits and stakeholder consultation, and operationalising the Election Campaign Financing Act to regulate campaign expenditures effectively.
The mission also called for refining the legal definition of hate speech in line with international human rights obligations and repealing Sections 22 and 23 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act.
Additionally, the recommendations stressed the need to establish clear procedures for managing staff and information flow at tallying centres to improve the consistency and efficiency of the electoral process.
Štefanec reaffirmed that the EU and Member States will continue to advocate for electoral reforms in Kenya.
