Busia County Assembly Speaker Fredrick Odilo has urged the national government and Members of Parliament to safeguard the live broadcasting of election results, warning that removing the requirement could undermine transparency and public confidence in elections.
Speaking at Kamarinyang' village, Teso South in Busia County,Odilo said Kenyans should be able to witness the announcement of results at polling stations in real time, arguing that openness in the electoral process is essential to protecting the integrity of the vote ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“We want the national government, especially Members of Parliament, to throw out this law that says there will be no live broadcast of election results. That is an attempt to steal votes in broad daylight. We are asking them to discard that law,” Odilo said.
His remarks come amid a heated national debate over proposed changes to the Elections Act, particularly provisions governing the transmission, declaration and public accessibility of election results.
The controversy followed parliamentary consideration of the Elections (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2024, which initially contained proposals to revise Section 39 of the Elections Act, the provision governing the determination and declaration of election results.
However, the National Assembly subsequently removed the clause seeking to replace Section 39, retaining the existing provision requiring the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to establish a mechanism for livestreaming results announced at polling stations. The Bill is expected to return to the Senate for consideration of the changes made by MPs.
Odilo's intervention reflects wider concerns among political leaders and electoral stakeholders over the importance of transparency as Kenya prepares for the next general election.
Supporters of livestreaming argue that allowing citizens, political parties and election observers to watch results being announced at polling stations can strengthen accountability and help build trust in the electoral process.
The debate also highlights the distinction between livestreaming results announcements, electronically transmitting results to tallying centres and publishing official results forms online. While these mechanisms serve related purposes, they provide different levels of public access and scrutiny.
With the 2027 polls approaching, Odilo's remarks add to growing calls for electoral reforms that protect public confidence and ensure that the counting and declaration of votes remain open to scrutiny.