IEBC acting CEO Ruth Kulundu addressing the national election security consultative forum at Ufungamano House on Wednesday, September 3, 2026. /IEBCThe Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission is preparing to deploy about 200,000 police and special officers to provide security during the 2027 General Election, highlighting the scale of the security operation planned for the polls.
Speaking during a national election security consultative forum on Wednesday, IEBC acting CEO Ruth Kulundu said the officers were undergoing specialised training to equip them with the skills required to secure the electoral process.
"We are on the course to train 200,000 police officers and special police officers who will be deployed during the general election. This training covers election security, election laws and specific election offences, ensuring our security forces are prepared and professional," she said.
Kulundu said the commission was also developing operational tools to guide security personnel deployed during the elections.
These include a comprehensive handbook on election security, police role cards detailing specific duties and a guide for investigating electoral offences.
The commission projects that the number of polling stations will rise by about 9,000, from 46,229 in 2022 to 55,393 in the 2027 General Election, following the mass and ongoing voter registration exercise.
The increase in the number of polling stations is due to the statutory requirement limiting the number of voters at each polling station to 700.
According to the IEBC, the projected security deployment will involve officers from key institutions, including the National Police Service, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Judiciary, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, the National Steering Committee on Peace Building and Conflict Management, the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties and civil society organisations.
Their responsibilities will span the provision of security, investigation and prosecution of electoral offences, as well as mounting rapid, joint responses to emerging security threats.
"This partnership ensures a holistic approach to election security, addressing legal, judicial and social dimensions in a unified manner," Kulundu said.
She said the implementation strategy for the security arrangement would be multifaceted, encompassing conflict prevention and management through early warning and response mechanisms targeting both expected and unforeseen election-related conflicts.
"We are engaging stakeholders, including political actors and communities in peace-building initiatives to promote adherence to the Electoral Code of Conduct and peace accords and coordinated responses to identify threats."
The IEBC said part of the security personnel would also be tasked with enhancing the safety of election officials and other staff involved in the electoral process.
The implementation structure is expected to commence in late 2026, months before campaigns officially get underway on May 29.
The technical committee overseeing the operational strategies will comprise the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and IEBC chairperson Erastus Ethekon.
The commission is also establishing mechanisms to respond to emerging forms of electoral violence, including gender-based violence.
"We are also establishing a dedicated situation room to report and respond to electoral gender-based violence linked to our early warning system," Kulundu said.
Beyond physical security threats, she said the commission is alive to the fact that the 2027 elections would also face digitally enabled threats, with artificial intelligence increasing the scale and spread of misinformation and disinformation during the electioneering period.
She said deepfakes and other AI-generated fabrications could erode public trust in the electoral process by creating convincing but false content.
"These technologies can manipulate voter perceptions, incite violence and undermine the credibility of electoral outcomes. To mitigate these risks, the commission will strengthen partnerships with social network sites or simply tech giants and media regulators to rapidly identify and remove harmful content."
The two-day convention was convened by the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK), Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) and the Kenya National Council of Churches (NCCK) at Ufungamano House.
It provided a platform for stakeholders to formulate strategies, actions and commitments aimed at safeguarding the integrity of democratic outcomes before, during and after the 2027 electoral cycle.
IEBC chairperson Erastus Ethekon said the commission, together with stakeholders, was ready to take extraordinary measures to ensure the August 10, 2027 General Election was peaceful, free, fair and credible.
He committed to working with the Election Security Arrangement Programme (ESAP) to review lessons learnt from previous elections and ensure political competition remained lawful and peaceful.
"Elections come and go, but we shall always remain as Kenya," he said.
Chief guest and vice chair of the Judiciary Committee on Elections and Court of Appeal Judge Daniel Musinga said the Judiciary would prioritise election-related cases, particularly those that are criminal in nature.
He said violence, intimidation, bribery and the destruction of electoral material must be addressed through an effective criminal justice process.
"We will collaborate with other agencies to ensure the justice chain works effectively. We will not shy away from acting appropriately if sufficient evidence is presented in court," Justice Musinga said.
The 2027 General Election is 340 days away.
