MP's move to block presidential results livestreaming draws backlash

Audio By Vocalize

A day after the National Assembly passed the Elections (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2024, opposition to the removal of the legal requirement for livestreaming election results has intensified, with political leaders, lawyers and civil society groups warning of threats to electoral transparency ahead of the 2027 General Election.

They challenged the proposed changes, insisting that Kenyans must be able to scrutinise how their votes are counted and announced.

People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua described the move as a troubling signal from Parliament less than a year before the August 10, 2027 General Election. Writing on X, Karua argued that removing the requirement could weaken safeguards intended to protect voters’ choices.

“Parliament’s decision to remove the IEBC’s legal obligation to livestream results at polling stations is a sign of fear!” said Karua.

She cited Article 81 of the Constitution, which requires elections to meet standards of transparency, impartiality, accuracy and accountability.

Karua questioned why lawmakers would make it harder for citizens to observe results if they were confident in the integrity of the electoral process.“If our leaders are confident in the people’s choice, why make it harder to see the results?” she posed.

Retired Chief Justice David Maraga said he would work with the People’s Coalition for Electoral Reforms to oppose measures he believes could weaken electoral accountability.

“The Constitution is clear. The electoral system must be ‘accurate, verifiable, secure, accountable and transparent’. No law is superior to our Katiba,” said Maraga.

He also invoked memories of the disputed 2007 General Election and the violence that followed, warning against a return to the era of the former Electoral Commission of Kenya.

Maraga further demanded that the IEBC publish results on its website as they are received, allowing citizens to follow the tallying process beyond the commission’s physical facilities.

The criticism has also taken a more confrontational turn, with Taifa Mpya party threatening nationwide demonstrations if the legal safeguard is not restored.

Party leader Caleb Amisi has warned that the party will not accept election results that differ from figures verified through its own parallel tallying process, opposing the removal of the legal requirement for livestreaming results ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Stay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter

“It is the duty of an electoral body to assure Kenyans that the election will be free and fair by livestreaming and allowing people to know what is happening, including those in the diaspora,” he added.

Former LSK president Faith Odhiambo also raised concerns about the implications of the amendment, arguing that citizens should not simply be expected to trust election officials without adequate opportunities to scrutinise the process.

She called on Parliament to publish the approved text of the Bill and clarify whether the removal of the express livestreaming requirement remained in the version passed by MPs.