Kenya MPs Face Scrutiny Over Election Results Livestreaming Bill

Kenya’s 2027 General Election could see a shift in how the public follows polling-station results after members of the National Assembly passed a bill seeking to remove the mandatory live-streaming of election results.

The Elections (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2024, passed by MPs on October 22, 2026, seeks to remove the legal requirement for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to livestream results announcements directly from polling stations.

The proposed changes have sparked debate over electoral transparency, with questions emerging about how voters, journalists, and political parties will monitor results as they are announced during the next general election.

The amendment targets provisions requiring the electoral commission to facilitate real-time broadcasts of results announcements. However, removing this obligation does not necessarily prohibit the IEBC from livestreaming results voluntarily.

Electronic transmission and online publication of results are separate processes that may continue under the proposed legal framework.

The distinction is important because livestreaming enables the public to watch results being announced in real time, while electronic transmission and publication allow figures and official results forms to be accessed through digital platforms.

Under the proposed framework, polling-station results would still be subject to the applicable procedures for transmission, verification, and publication. The changes therefore concern the legal requirement for live broadcasts rather than an outright elimination of electronic results management.

The debate comes as Kenya prepares for the 2027 General Election, when public confidence in the management and declaration of results is expected to remain a key issue.

The legislative changes have also renewed attention on the need for clear procedures that allow election observers, political parties, and the public to scrutinise results and verify figures declared at different stages of the tallying process.

The Bill’s passage by the National Assembly does not automatically mean it has become law. Its final enactment status must be confirmed before the proposed changes are treated as legally effective.