Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson Erastus (Edung) Ethekon has issued a firm warning to political actors attempting to undermine the integrity of Kenya’s electoral system, insisting that “stealing an election in Kenya is impossible” under the strengthened safeguards ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during a press briefing in Nairobi and later at a post-election debrief with stakeholders, Ethekon stressed that Kenya’s electoral architecture has evolved into a fully transparent, technology-driven system that leaves no room for manipulation.
“Our systems are robust, and the mechanisms in place make it impossible for any individual or group to tamper with the election results,” he said. In a more emphatic declaration, he added, “Stealing an election in this country is an impossibility. Every action at the polling station leaves a trace, every result is publicly verifiable, and every KIEMS transmission is securely logged.”
Ethekon’s remarks come amid growing concerns about political interference in electoral bodies across Africa. He revealed that IEBC is aware of “nefarious attempts by certain political actors to infiltrate and influence our dedicated officials,” warning that such efforts will be met with decisive action. 
The IEBC chair defended the credibility of the recent November 27 by-elections, noting that KIEMS kits recorded 99% functionality, enabling seamless voter identification and near-real-time results transmission. All results forms were also published at polling stations, uploaded to the IEBC portal, and verified at tallying centres.
While acknowledging isolated incidents – including harassment of staff and attempts by politicians to interfere Ethekon affirmed that none compromised the integrity of the outcomes. “Elections do not belong to politicians. Elections belong to the people. Our job as IEBC is to guard that sovereign will.”
Electoral governance experts underscored his message, with Dr. Amina Rashid of the Institute for Democratic Governance noting that “Maintaining public trust in the electoral process is fundamental to a stable democracy.”
The commission has enhanced training, security measures, and audit trails ahead of 2027, and has urged citizens and political parties to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity.
Ethekon concluded with a strong assurance: “Our systems have held firm. The transparency is there. The audit trail is there. The safeguards are there. That is why we can confidently say – stealing an election in Kenya is not possible.”
