The 2026 National Youth Council (NYC) elections have been suspended at the eleventh hour after the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports was served with a High Court order stopping the implementation of the gazette notice setting the timetable for the polls.
In a statement issued on Thursday, October 8, the Ministry confirmed that the High Court in Kiambu had issued orders staying the implementation of Gazette Notice No. 10421, through which Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports Salim Mvurya had gazetted the 2026 NYC elections.
The court intervention comes just a day before the first phase of the elections was scheduled to take place on Friday, October 9.
Under the suspended timetable, ward-level elections were scheduled for October 9, followed by constituency-level elections on October 16, while the national-level elections were set for October 30.
Ministry vows to comply with court order
The Ministry said it would comply with the court directive and await further directions or determination from the court before announcing the next course of action.
“The Ministry wishes to inform the public that it has been served with a court order issued by the High Court at Kiambu, staying the implementation of Gazette Notice No. 10421,” the Ministry stated.
It assured registered voters, aspirants, youth stakeholders and other partners that it remains committed to conducting the elections within the applicable legal framework.
Despite the suspension of the polls, the Ministry said voter education and public sensitisation activities will continue as stakeholders await further directions from the court.
The latest development marks another setback for the long-awaited NYC elections, which have already faced delays and legal challenges in 2026.
The elections were initially scheduled for July but were postponed to October to allow the government to address legal and administrative requirements, including voter education and other preparations required under the National Youth Council election regulations.
The Ministry has urged voters, aspirants and other stakeholders to rely on official NYC and government communication for updates on the next steps in the electoral process.
