The Senate Standing Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights has engaged key electoral stakeholders to assess preparedness and review proposed legal reforms ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The meeting, chaired by Bomet Senator and Committee Chairperson Wakili Hillary Sigei, brought together representatives from the Judiciary Committee on Elections, the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to brief senators on institutional readiness, operational priorities and proposed electoral reforms.
Speaking during the engagement, Sigei said the committee was keen on ensuring that all reforms relating to the 2027 elections are considered and enacted in good time to avoid uncertainty and enhance public confidence in the electoral process.
“The Committee is keen to ensure that all proposals touching on the 2027 General Election are processed in good time. Electoral reforms must not come too late, because late reforms create uncertainty for institutions, candidates and voters,” said Sigei.
A delegation from the Judiciary Committee on Elections, led by Justice Francis Tuiyott, informed the committee that the Judiciary had adopted an early preparedness strategy aimed at ensuring timely and credible resolution of election-related disputes.
“The Judiciary is preparing early because election dispute resolution is time-sensitive and central to public confidence in the democratic process. Our focus is to strengthen case management, capacity building, technology use and stakeholder coordination before the country enters the full election cycle,” said Justice Tuiyott.
The Judiciary presented proposals focused on improving election dispute resolution mechanisms, alternative dispute resolution processes, appellate procedures, review powers of election courts and enhanced funding during election periods.
Representing the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, John Cox Lorionokou said preparations were centred on strengthening political party registration, party lists, digital membership systems, compliance monitoring and mechanisms for preventing disputes within political parties.
“Political parties are the gateway to elections. If party nominations, membership registers and coalition arrangements are not clear and credible, the pressure moves to tribunals, courts and the electoral system,” said Lorionokou.
The ORPP also proposed amendments to the Political Parties Act, including reforms on party nominations, coalition agreements, voluntary dissolution of political parties, party switching, internal party democracy and the use of technology in party operations.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, represented by Ruth Kulundu, briefed the committee on ongoing preparations for the 2027 polls, including continuous voter registration, election operations, voter education, technology infrastructure and stakeholder engagement.
“The Commission remains on course in its preparations for the 2027 General Election. Our priority is to strengthen voter registration, improve operational systems, enhance civic education and work with stakeholders to deliver a credible, transparent and inclusive electoral process,” said Kulundu.
The committee is expected to review the submissions and legislative proposals presented by the various institutions as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Kenya’s electoral framework and ensure adequate preparedness ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
