The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has dismissed reports that it plans to ban live-streaming of election processes and results during the 2027 General Election, assuring Kenyans that the media will remain a key partner in promoting transparency and accountability.
IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon said the commission had neither made a decision nor proposed to Parliament any measure aimed at stopping the media from live-streaming election proceedings.
"I would like to assure the people of Kenya that there is nothing like that whatsoever," Ethekon said.
He said the commission would be the last institution to introduce measures that undermine the media's role in scrutinising electoral processes, insisting that transparency remained a central principle of the IEBC's work.
"This commission stands for transparency and accountability, and we will be the last people to make any decision or any proposals to stifle the freedom of the media to check what we are doing, including live-streaming of the election processes," he said.
Ethekon challenged those behind the reports to explain the source of the information, describing the claims as misinformation and propaganda.
"Whoever manufactured that story, we need to know where they found those stories from. As IEBC, we want to state here categorically that we have not made any such decision. Neither have we made any proposals to Parliament to try and stop live-streaming," he said.
The chairman said the commission had instead been working closely with media organisations to strengthen collaboration ahead of the 2027 polls.
He cited a recent meeting with the Kenya Media Sector Working Group held at Pullman Hotel, where the commission signed a memorandum of understanding with representatives of the media industry.
The group brings together the Kenya Union of Journalists, the Kenya Editors Guild and other players in the media sector.
"We converged here at Pullman Hotel with the Kenya Media Sector Working Group. That group brings together the Kenya Union of Journalists, the Kenya Editors Guild and everybody in the media sector, and we signed an MOU," Ethekon said.
He said the agreement was intended to facilitate closer cooperation between the IEBC and the media in educating and informing the public about electoral activities, including live coverage of election processes.
Ethekon noted that the media had continued to play an important role during recent by-elections by reporting from polling stations and tallying centres.
"You have seen it even during the by-elections. The media has been there, and they have been a very important partner to us in informing and showing Kenyans every process we're doing as a commission, whether at the polling station or at the tallying centres," he said.
The IEBC chairman said the partnership would continue throughout the electoral cycle, stressing that the commission's responsibility was to protect the public interest and ensure Kenyans had access to accurate information.
He warned that any misinformation capable of undermining confidence in elections would be condemned.
"As much as people have the freedom to publish anything, they should know that anything that undermines the integrity of our elections stands condemned by this commission," Ethekon said.
He made the remarks while officially opening a consultative forum on the draft election campaign financing regulations and proposed contribution and spending limits ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Ethekon said the commission would communicate to Kenyans in good time on the modalities for accessing election results once the results transmission process begins.
"Our results transmission, when the time comes, we will communicate to Kenyans on how they will get their results, and they'll be there with us as partners," he said.
The clarification comes as the IEBC steps up preparations for the 2027 polls, with electoral reforms, campaign financing regulations and greater engagement with stakeholders forming part of the commission's broader preparations for the election.
