This how Kenya can redesign its flawed electoral system

A growing chorus of reformers argues that Kenya must fundamentally overhaul its election system if it is to restore public trust and safeguard future polls. According to the recent opinion piece, the current framework — managed by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and built on decades-old structures and rules — is ill-equipped for today’s demographic, technological and political realities. Without swift action, the piece warns, the next general election risks repeating past failures rather than ensuring credible outcomes.
The article highlights several key fault lines: delayed and under-resourced boundary reviews, overlapping electoral registers, multiplicity of elective posts on a single day, and overly centralised management of polls. For example, the 2022 elections were conducted on boundaries drawn from older census data, meaning growing urban constituencies were under-represented and many rural wards remained oversized. The author proposes creating a distinct boundaries commission, using modern tools like GIS to rebalance representation, and reducing the number of elections held on a single day to ease logistical burdens. Also emphasised is the need to empower citizens with greater transparency—from participatory ward delineation to live-tracking of results transmission.
Reactions from political and civic circles suggest this reform agenda, if taken seriously, could reshape Kenya’s electoral landscape. Youth groups and civil society have welcomed the call for modernisation, arguing that Kenya’s emerging Generation Z voters demand systems that reflect their digital lives and expectations. At the same time, some veteran politicians caution that structural change must be matched by political will — otherwise, the same elites will simply capture the new machinery. The piece contends that staying on the current trajectory would deepen public disillusionment, dampen voter turnout and possibly invite post-election legal and social turmoil. It urges that reforms start now — not after the election cycle has begun in earnest.
Looking ahead, the article sets a clear challenge for Kenya ahead of the 2027 general election. Reforming the electoral system will require legal amendments (including to the constitution), institutional restructuring and investment in technology and civic education. Success would mean more timely boundary reviews, more reliable technology, less cost and complexity in elections, and stronger citizen participation. Failure, it warns, risks a repeat of past dysfunctions — and a weakening of Kenya’s democratic foundations.