Kenyans may head into the 2027 general elections with electoral boundaries unchanged, as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) struggles to meet legal deadlines.
According to the IEBC Act, the boundary review process should be completed at least 12 months before a general election. However, the commission has admitted it is unlikely to finalize the process in time and has sought guidance from the Supreme Court, which is set to provide directions on Monday.
The delays have been compounded by the prolonged reconstitution of the IEBC. A selection panel appointed by President William Ruto in January only held its first meeting on Friday. The panel, which is responsible for shortlisting candidates for the commission, will have 90 days to recommend nominees. This timeline means the earliest the new IEBC team could be in place is June—leaving little time for a comprehensive boundary review.
IEBC CEO Hussein Marjan warned that meeting the constitutional timelines for boundary delimitation would be extremely difficult. The process requires extensive public participation, field verification, and oversight by commissioners in all 290 constituencies, making it a time-consuming task.
Legal experts have raised concerns over a potential constitutional crisis. IEBC Legal Services Director Chrispine Owiye noted that Kenya has already breached Article 89 of the Constitution, which mandates boundary reviews every 8 to 12 years, with the deadline having lapsed in March 2024. The legality of the current electoral units could now face legal challenges.
Beyond boundary delimitation, the new commission will also have to handle urgent electoral tasks, including three parliamentary by-elections, nine ward-level polls, voter registration, and institutional reforms. Experts, including constitutional scholar Ekuru Aukot, argue that the delays are politically motivated, accusing the Executive of deliberately stalling the process to manipulate the electoral framework.
With time running out and political tensions rising, Kenya faces the prospect of conducting the 2027 elections under existing boundaries, raising legal and electoral integrity concerns.
