Kenya's path to the 2027 General Election has entered a dangerous political zone after a broad reform coalition accused Parliament of leaving unresolved constitutional weaknesses in the law governing election results.
The warning was delivered by Chief Justice Emeritus David Maraga, who read the People’s Coalition on Electoral Reforms’ statement in Nairobi on Monday, October 26, 2026, during the release of its explainer on the Elections (Amendment) Act 2024, passed by the National Assembly last week.
Maraga, the coalition’s co-convenor alongside former Attorney-General and former National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi and Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, is also co-party leader of the United Green Movement (UGM).
As co-convenor, he is one of the coalition’s principal public faces and strategic leaders, helping shape its reform agenda and articulate its demands for credible, transparent and verifiable elections.
He said Parliament dropped the proposed amendment to Section 39 of the Elections Act, leaving provisions previously found inconsistent with the Constitution in the Maina Kiai case.
The High Court had nullified Section 39(2) and (3) and Regulations 83(2) and 87(2)(c) on April 7, 2017, with the Court of Appeal later affirming the position.
According to Maraga, the retained provisions weaken transparency, impartiality, accuracy, efficiency and accountability in the counting, tallying, transmission and declaration of results.
He said the coalition is demanding four reforms: final declaration of results at polling stations; hourly live transmission of voter turnout; live constituency declarations; and an open national aggregation system without central servers that can alter results.
The coalition also wants no national presidential tallying centre, a credible voter register, constitutionally compliant election technology, personal liability for electoral offences and transparent recruitment of election officials.
President William Ruto has dismissed claims that the amended law bans livestreaming of election results.
Speaking at AIC Kasina in Mwingi, Kitui County, on Sunday, October 25, he called the claims propaganda and fake news.
“Why would anybody want to stop livestreaming of results? Results is a right of Kenyans,” the President said.
Maraga said the coalition will table its amendment Bill in both the National Assembly and Senate, convene a multi-stakeholder conference within two weeks, and launch nationwide civic education.
It has also declared 288 days of electoral-integrity vigilance ahead of the August 2027 polls, warning that Kenya cannot afford another contested election.
