Taifa Mpya has called on President William Ruto to reject the Elections (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2024, unless Parliament restores a legal requirement for the live streaming of election results announced at polling stations.
In a statement issued in Nairobi on Friday, October 23, the political movement argued that removing the explicit obligation for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to livestream results could weaken public scrutiny ahead of the August 10, 2027, General Election.
The National Assembly passed the Bill on October 22, with the proposed amendments seeking to repeal and replace Section 39 of the Elections Act. The changes retain provisions for electronic transmission of presidential results and publication of polling-station results forms through a public online portal, but omit an express requirement for livestreaming.
Taifa Mpya said electronic transmission of results to tallying centres was not equivalent to allowing citizens to watch results being announced at polling stations.
The movement argued that livestreaming should be guaranteed by law rather than left to the discretion of the electoral commission.
It cited Articles 81 and 86 of the Constitution, which provide for free, fair and transparent elections and require the electoral system to be accurate, verifiable, secure and accountable. It also referred to Article 35 on access to information and Article 34 on freedom of the media.
The statement invoked the disputed 2007 General Election, arguing that public access to results was an important safeguard against electoral mistrust and disputes.
Taifa Mpya called on the President to refer the Bill back to Parliament under Article 115 of the Constitution, with a reservation seeking the restoration of an explicit livestreaming requirement.
The movement also urged lawmakers to reinstate a legally enforceable obligation for the IEBC to broadcast results announcements from polling stations. It called on the commission to commit publicly to livestreaming the results in 2027 and publishing polling-station results forms online in real time.
The organisation further appealed to media outlets, civil society groups, religious leaders and development partners to support measures aimed at strengthening electoral transparency.
Taifa Mpya said it would consider mobilising peaceful demonstrations and petitions if the legislation proceeded without restoring the livestreaming safeguard.
The debate comes as Kenya prepares for the 2027 General Election, with the proposed changes prompting questions about the role of livestreaming alongside electronic transmission and the publication of official results forms.
Removing the express legal requirement would not, by itself, constitute a blanket ban on livestreaming, but it would remove the specific statutory obligation proposed for deletion in the Bill.
