Kanchory warns against unchecked power of IEBC ahead of 2027 polls
Former Azimio la Umoja chief agent Saitabao Ole Kanchory has raised concerns over the country’s electoral system, warning that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) must not be allowed to operate with unchecked authority.
His remarks come as political attention begins turning toward the planned by-election and the 2027 general elections.
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The utterances also follow a series of public outbursts from a section of politicians claiming that they will rigg votes in the upcoming polls.
In a statement on his X account on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, Kanchory sparked a renewed scrutiny of the electoral body’s credibility, structure, and independence.
“We must not allow IEBC to think or imagine they can do anything they want. That’s where the battle must now shift,” the statement read.
He underscored a broader concern among political observers and civil society groups: that without meaningful reforms, the country risks repeating the mistakes of past contested elections.
Kanchory, who played a central role in the 2022 presidential election as Raila Odinga’s chief agent, has remained vocal about what he describes as systemic failures within the electoral process.
IEBC on control
Meanwhile, the IEBC chairman, Erastus Ethekon Edung, has said that nobody will have the ability to order the commission to do what is illegal and unlawful, including forcing a losing candidate to win in the upcoming 2027 poll.
Speaking during an engagement with the media on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, Edung insisted that the electoral body’s independence is fully guaranteed by the Constitution and cannot be compromised by political influence.
“We deal with numbers, not perceptions. We deal with actual numbers, people who turned out and voted. In regard to receiving certain orders, we do not take any orders that are not lawful or legal.
‘We are an independent commission, and our independence is guaranteed by the Constitution under Article 247,” Edung said.
He emphasised that no political figure, regardless of rank, can compel the commission to make decisions that contradict the law.
“Nobody can order the IEBC to do what is contrary to the law, and we are not under someone’s control apart from the Constitution,” he stated.
Edung maintained that the IEBC will conduct the 2027 elections strictly in line with constitutional provisions, with full transparency in tallying and declaration of results.
