The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chairperson, Erastus Ethekon/FILE

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The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has invited eligible organisations to apply for accreditation as election observers and media practitioners ahead of the by-elections scheduled for February 26, 2026.

In a public notice dated Friday, January 9, 2026, the Commission said the accreditation exercise is aimed at facilitating transparent, credible, and accountable electoral processes during the upcoming polls.

The by-elections will be conducted in various electoral areas to fill vacant positions, in line with the Constitution and the Elections Act.

According to the notice, organisations seeking accreditation should submit their applications exclusively through the IEBC online system.

"All interested organisations must submit their applications through the IEBC Accreditation Management System at https://ams.iebc.or.ke," reads the notice.

The Commission emphasised that no manual or physical applications will be accepted, underscoring its continued push towards digital systems.

The deadline for submission of applications has been set for Friday, February 6, 2026, at 5.00 pm.

IEBC cautioned applicants to ensure they have access to a stable and reliable internet connection when submitting their details, noting that incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

"The commission will conduct training and issue badges to accredited organisations to enable access to polling stations and tallying centres," it further notes.

In the notice, IEBC also reiterated that it does not provide any form of payment, allowances, or facilitation to accredited election observers or media practitioners.

For inquiries or further clarification, IEBC advised interested organisations to contact the Commission through its official telephone line on 020 2877000 or via email at [email protected].

The announcement comes weeks after the electoral agency appointed returning officers and deputy returning officers to oversee by-elections.

The by-elections will include the Member of Parliament seat for Isiolo South constituency, as well as Member of County Assembly (MCA) positions in Muminji and Evurore wards in Mbeere North constituency, Embu County.

An additional MCA by-election will also be held in Kabras West Ward in Malava constituency, Kakamega County.

All the by-elections are set to take place on the same day.

The appointments were formally communicated through a gazette notice issued by IEBC chairperson Erastus Ethekon.

Ethekon also outlined key timelines and requirements for political parties, independent candidates, and other stakeholders participating in the by-elections.

IEBC further announced that the official campaign period will begin on January 22, 2026, and end on February 23, 2026, which is 48 hours before the by-election day.

Campaign activities will be restricted to between 7.00 am and 6.00 pm each day throughout the campaign period.

In preparation for polling day, participating political parties and independent candidates will be required to appoint and submit to the commission the name of one Constituency Election Agent, as well as polling station agents, on or before February 12, 2026.

The commission confirmed that it will use the certified Register of Voters published on June 21, 2022, for the conduct of the by-elections.