Editor's Review

Sifuna pointed out what he argued were IEBC's flaws that can't be overlooked as the country prepares for the 2027 vote.

Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna has sounded an alarm to Kenyans over the undertakings of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

He said there was a reason for Kenyans to be concerned about the commission as it prepares the country for the 2027 general election.

On Saturday, August 9, IEBC chairman Erastus Ethekon gazetted November 27 as the date for all the pending by-elections.

The commission asked the political parties to submit their candidates no later than October 2 and the independents to file the candidacy by September 17.

The campaign period for all the elective posts, comprising 16 MCA posts, MPs, and a senator, would last six weeks only, between October 8 and November 24.

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Reacting to the notice, Sifuna said the commission flouted the constitution.

He cited article 101(4) of the Kenyan constitution, which stipulates that a byelection for an MP or senator's seat be held within ninety days after the IEBC's admission of the vacancy communicated by the speakers of the respective houses.

Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna.

Sifuna noted that the date for the minipolls is over 100 days after the gazette notice.

This, according to the senator, is a glaring blunder that ought not to be overlooked.

"Two back-to-back manifestly flawed decisions by the new IEBC are enough cause for alarm. Article 101(4)b requires IEBC to conduct by-elections within 90 days of issuance of writs. Unless my math is wrong, November 27th is more than 100 days away," he said.

The senator also referenced the recent replacement of CS John Mbadi as another indication of inattention on the part of the commission.

Sifuna, who is also the ODM secretary general of the ODM party, accused the commission of flouting the law when gazetting the new nominated MP to replace Mbadi, who joined the Cabinet last year.

Sifuna said the party had lined up the rightful replacement against which the IEBC went.

That was another flaw, he said.

"When picking Mbadi’s replacement, the commission ignored the law on selecting the next person from the same category in which Mbadi was nominated. Mbadi was nominated under the “workers” category," Sifuna added.