IEBC seeks UN backing to strengthen electoral systems ahead of 2027 polls
The Commission stated that the collaboration aims to strengthen areas such as technology, voter education, electoral security, and youth participation, thereby safeguarding the credibility of the electoral process.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has appealed for enhanced technical and strategic support from the United Nations (UN) ahead of the 2027 General Election, as part of efforts to strengthen electoral integrity and institutional capacity.
The Commission stated that the collaboration aims to strengthen areas such as technology, voter education, electoral security, and youth participation, thereby safeguarding the credibility of the electoral process.
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This follows the Commission's meeting with the United Nations (UN) Electoral Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) Team in Kenya, during which they discussed mutual areas of support and collaboration in preparation for the 2027 General Election.
The UN team, led by Akinyemi Adegbola, Principal Electoral Advisor at the Electoral Assistance Division (EAD), assured the Commission of full support to help Kenya maintain its position as a pillar of democracy on the continent through credible elections. Adegbola said the UN would review and strategically align its support according to priority areas identified by the Commission.
The IEBC delegation, led by Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon, asked the NAM team to channel their support towards youth engagement and voter inclusion, strategic communication, capacity building, electoral security and conflict prevention, structured stakeholder dialogue, special and early voting mechanisms, voter education campaigns, digitising training processes and the printing of training and voter education materials.
In particular, the Commission sought technology support to manage emerging digital threats in elections, including countering AI-generated deepfakes, misinformation and disinformation. The IEBC also called for capacity building for teams responsible for digital monitoring, communication and public information.
Ethekon said the Commission had, since its appointment, taken deliberate and strategic steps to establish operational clarity, strengthen institutional structures and build stakeholder confidence.
“We should involve all players in the electoral process to ensure everyone plays their role. I call upon the UN NAM team to support the Commission early enough and not to wait to come on board close to the 2027 General Election,” Ethekon said.
He further expressed appreciation to the NAM team for their continued support in election management.
“The journey of building credible electoral systems is both complex and continuous. But with your partnership, we are better positioned to uphold the democratic aspirations of the Kenyan people,” Ethekon said.
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