Willis Otieno: 2027 elections will be decided by Kenyans, not IEBC
By Mabonga Makhanu, July 16, 2025Political analyst and lawyer Willis Otieno has delivered a strong message ahead of the 2027 general elections, asserting that the process will not be controlled by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), but by the people of Kenya themselves.
Speaking on a popular podcast on Tuesday, July 16, 2025, Otieno emphasised that IEBC is merely a facilitator, not the custodian of the people’s will.
He pointed out that the commission’s role is purely administrative, tasked with providing logistical support to actualise the choices of voters.
According to him, the real power in determining the direction of the election lies with the citizens, not with the electoral body.
“It’s not upon IEBC to deliver free, fair and credible elections; Kenyans will do it themselves. IEBC is just a facilitator of this process; they will not control this process. The coming elections will be controlled by Kenyans.
“IEBC has no final say; it’s Kenyans who will decide the final say, not IEBC. IEBC will just facilitate and provide an administrative setup to actualise the will of the people,” Otieno said.
He described the upcoming elections as a defining moment that will set the people of Kenya directly against the political establishment.
In his view, the majority of Kenyans will be on one side, demanding change, while legacy politicians will be on the other, attempting to maintain the status quo.
“The next elections will be between the people of Kenya and legacy politicians, with Kenyans being the majority on one side and politicians on the other side,” Willis added.
Impartiality in IEBC reconstitution
Otieno also expressed scepticism about the impartiality of the newly reconstituted IEBC, suggesting that it appears to lean in favour of President William Ruto’s administration.
However, he warned that any attempts by the commission or political players to interfere with the electoral process would ultimately fail. He maintained that Kenyans are now more vigilant and ready to defend the integrity of their vote.
“They are employees of William Ruto; we were not given the report that informed their appointments. They are clones of William Ruto; they are there as tujes of legacy politicians.
“You will not succeed in undermining the will of the people; the people of Kenya will have their say and their way, and they will determine the outcome of the elections. All the schemes that you will be invited to partake in by legacy politicians shall fail; they will not succeed in undermining the wishes of the people,” he said.
His remarks come at a time when concerns are mounting over the credibility of institutions tasked with safeguarding democracy.