The High Court in Kiambu has halted the 2026 National Youth Council (NYC) elections, suspending the implementation of the gazette notice that set dates for the polls.
The court order affects Gazette Notice No. 10421, which had scheduled the elections in three phases beginning with ward-level voting on October 9, followed by constituency elections on October 16 and the National Youth Congress elections on October 30.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports said it will comply with the court directive pending further determination of the matter.
The High Court issued conservatory orders after a petition challenging the electoral process, with concerns raised over civic education, public participation, communication and transparency.
The petitioner, 27-year-old youth activist Emelda Kwamboka, argued that young people had not received adequate civic education and that the process had not sufficiently communicated election timelines, procedures and other key information.
The petition also raised concerns over the constitution of election steering committees, publication of voter and aspirant registers and the inclusion of young people in rural areas and persons with disabilities.
The court suspended implementation of Gazette Notice No. 10421 pending the hearing and determination of the petition. The matter is scheduled for directions on October 26, 2026.
The Ministry has advised registered voters, aspirants and other stakeholders to follow official National Youth Council communication channels for updates on the new election timetable.
While voting has been suspended, voter education and public sensitisation activities are expected to continue.
The NYC elections had already been postponed once in 2026 after an earlier timetable was abandoned to allow the government to address legal and administrative requirements. The revised dates were subsequently gazetted in July.
The elections were set to be the first National Youth Council polls since 2012.
