IEBC to Use Phased Approach for Electoral Boundaries Before 2027

Mandere Onyinkwa reports that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has decided to implement a gradual strategy for reviewing constituency and ward boundaries.
The choice is influenced by constitutional obligations, court cases, and the imminent 2027 General Election.
The Commission noted that boundary delimitation is fundamental to Kenya’s democratic system, providing fair representation by matching electoral districts with population shifts.
However, multiple challenges have impeded advancement, including the lack of commissioners from January 2023 to July 2025, which halted important policy determinations, and the rejection of census figures for Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera counties, leaving IEBC without authoritative data to direct its operations.
Legal proceedings have also added complexity, with lawsuits filed to force the Commission to finish reviews prior to the next election, while the Supreme Court determined that the Secretariat could not continue with delimitation without commissioners, further postponing the process.
The Commission highlighted that competing priorities such as by-elections, voter registration, and 2027 poll preparations make a comprehensive delimitation exercise unfeasible within the constitutional timeframes.
Article 89 mandates that any boundary review meant to apply to a general election be concluded at least twelve months before that election, a deadline that cannot now be achieved.
After consulting with the Attorney General and obtaining an advisory opinion from the Supreme Court, IEBC determined that “a phased approach is the most legally defensible and constitutionally sound path forward.”
This indicates that preliminary activities like geographic data gathering, verification, and capability enhancement will proceed, but no constituency or ward boundaries will be modified before the 2027 General Election.
Significant delimitation will occur after the elections, employing validated national census data once the courts settle the current controversies.
The Commission also responded to public anticipation that constituency numbers might rise, clarifying that the Constitution limits constituencies to 290 and wards to 1,450.
Any review will therefore concentrate exclusively on names and boundaries unless Parliament revises the legislation.
Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon stressed that the gradual approach demonstrates IEBC’s dedication to constitutional principles, institutional credibility, and democratic validity, assuring Kenyans that the integrity of the 2027 General Election will not be affected.
The Commission committed to provide detailed work schedules and deadlines with stakeholders, consult Parliament and the Treasury on funding requirements, and ensure systematic public involvement throughout the procedure.