One year to the polls: IEBC battles leadership gaps, funding crunch

With one year remaining until Kenya's General Election on August 10, 2027, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has unveiled a detailed roadmap that sets out critical deadlines for political parties, aspiring candidates and public officers.

The timelines, contained in the Election Operations Plan (EOP) 2025-2027, are anchored in the IEBC Strategic Plan 2024-2029 and designed to guide the planning, coordination, implementation and monitoring of activities leading up to the election.

Speaking during the launch of the plan at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), IEBC Commissioner and Chairperson of the Election Operations Committee  Ann Nderitu said the roadmap aims to ensure the timely implementation of electoral activities, strengthen transparency and accountability, and promote stakeholder engagement and citizen participation.

 AT A GLANCE: KEY DATES AND MUST-DOS

ELECTION DAY

Tuesday, August 10, 2027 – Kenyans go to the polls to elect the President, Members of Parliament, Senators, Women Representatives, Governors and Members of County Assemblies

FOR PUBLIC OFFICERS

Deadline Must-Do

February 9, 2027 Resign from public office at least six months before election day

"A public officer who intends to contest in the General Election shall resign from public office within six months before the date of the election, being on or before Tuesday, 9th February, 2027," Nderitu said.

FOR POLITICAL PARTIES

Deadline Must-Do

March 16, 2027 Submit membership lists to IEBC

March 16, 2027 Submit names of aspirants contesting in party primaries, plus dates and venues of primaries

May 9, 2027 Conduct primaries and resolve all intra-party disputes

 Candidates who fail to submit their names within the set timelines will not be registered to participate in the General Election.

 FOR INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES

Deadline Must-Do

May 9, 2027 Cease being a member of any registered political party (at least three months before election)

May 9, 2027 Submit names and proposed election symbols to IEBC

NOMINATIONS (ALL CANDIDATES)

Period Activity

May 29 – June 11, 2027 Nomination of both political party and independent candidates

Daily (8am–1pm & 2pm–4pm) Candidates must personally deliver nomination papers to IEBC Chairperson at designated venues

 June 12, 2027 Deadline to lodge nomination disputes with IEBC

Within 10 days IEBC must resolve all nomination disputes

 CAMPAIGN PERIOD

Period Activity

May 29 – August 7, 2027 Official campaign period

August 8–9, 2027 48-hour campaign blackout – all campaigns must cease

VOTER REGISTRATION

Continuous Voter Registration is ongoing at all IEBC Constituency Offices, Huduma Centres, and the Customer Experience Centre at Anniversary Towers, Nairobi.

 Key directive: Kenyans who registered before 2012 must register afresh as they are not captured in the current biometric Register of Voters (RoV). The current biometric register came into operation in 2012 following key electoral reforms.

 Voter roll growth: The register has grown from 22.12 million in 2022 to over 23.4 million by April 2026. IEBC projects the roll will reach 28.5 million ahead of the 2027 poll.

 WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU MISS THE DEADLINES?

 According to IEBC Commissioner Ann Nderitu, candidates who fail to submit their names within the set timelines will not be registered to participate in the General Election. Political parties that fail to conduct primaries and resolve disputes by May 9 risk being locked out of the ballot. The commission has warned that nomination disputes must be lodged by June 12 and will be determined within 10 days to avoid delays in the electoral calendar.

 AT A GLANCE: IEBC LEADERSHIP CRISIS – KEY DATES AND VACANCIES 

VACANT POSITIONS

• Commission Secretary/Chief Executive Officer (CS/CEO) – Vacant since February 2026.
• Director, Voter Education & Partnerships – Vacant.
• Director, Research, Electoral Boundaries & Risk Management – Vacant.
• Director, Human Resources & Administration – Vacant.
• Director, Internal Audit & Compliance – Vacant.
• Director, Finance – Vacant.
• Director, Corporate Communications – Vacant.
• Director, Counties & Constituencies Coordination – Vacant.

 Total vacant senior positions: 8

 ACTING CEO REVOLVING DOOR

 February – August 4, 2026: Moses Ledama Sunkuli – 6 months

• August 5, 2026 – present: Ruth Kulundu – 2 months (or until substantive CEO recruited)