Impartiality is the biggest test for Ethekon and entire electoral commission

IEBC chairman Erustus Ethekon with commissioner Anne Nderitu at JKIA Nairobi after receiving first batch of ballot papers for the 27th November by elections. The papers which were printed in Greece at a cost of Ksh.27 million will be transported to various constituencies from Friday this week.[Collins Oduor, Standard]

All eyes are on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) as it prepares for the 2027 elections. The commission must be diametrically impartial to engender trust and transparency in the electoral process. This is the biggest test for the Erastus Ethekon-led commission.

Already, from the recent by-elections, there are clear indications of the possible trajectory of the commission. In broad daylight, government officials and resources were deployed to campaign for candidates of the ruling party. Security agents were also reportedly used to tailor voting outcomes to predetermined ends.

The silence of the commission in the face of blatant violations of electoral laws and regulations by State agents shows that IEBC lacks the independence and courage to play its role as an impartial referee in the electoral game.

Electoral commissions across Africa suffer from the same lack of independence and lack of courage to remain impartial. The party in power pockets the commission to the extent that it closes its eyes to the electoral malpractices orchestrated by state agents.

The outcome of such intentionally tilted processes is the subversion of the will of the people. Contestants may win elections but lack the legitimate support of the people. The impact of stolen elections and illegitimate assumption of power remains deeply ingrained in the masses throughout the term of office.

Our practice of fraudulent elections in Africa rubbishes the basic tenets of democracy. Look at Tanzania and Cameroon's recent elections. Watch out for a similar trend in Uganda in the coming year. What we do in Africa is a selection by a few disguised as an election by a majority of the people. It is not democracy; it is autocracy.

As a result of our diseased system of democracy, there is a growing discontent among people across the continent. In parts of Africa, the discontent manifests in military coups and in other parts, it is war, insurgency, protests or an apolitical attitude. A government that listens and pays attention would always know and gauge the feelings and pulse of the people.

In public administration, there is nothing as bad as governing a nation without the support of citizens.

It therefore behoves the IEBC to save and secure democracy in Kenya by courageously asserting its independence. This must be done now to build trust in the commission ahead of the 2027 polls.

The chairperson of the commission is from Turkana County. Turkana people are known for their courage and forthrightness. They are honest and God-fearing people. The Turkana people are part of the minority tribes in Kenya. Therefore, the background of Ethekon places him in a good position to give Kenyans the IEBC of their dream and desire as envisioned in the Constitution.

Mr Ethekon, allow the values of your background to shape and inform your leadership of the Electoral Commission. 

Have the courage to call a spade a spade. Be hard on all political players without fear or favour. In particular, watch the party in power and how they manipulate and use State machinery and resources to gain electoral mileage.

The government will use every means possible to win every election, but at the end of the day, it is up to the IEBC to separate the wheat from the weeds.

It has been said in several quarters that the behaviour of the electorate can inadvertently weaken or strengthen the independence and courage of the electoral commission. When people are so gullible to the point of selling their next five years for a paltry Sh1,000, then they adversely weaken the stance of the commission.

When people transact the prospect of good governance on the altar of immediate gratification, they have no ground to lament about bad, poor or corrupt administration. There is a need for all hands to be on deck in the lead-up to the 2027 elections.

Media houses, election monitoring groups, third-level institutions, non-governmental organisations, international observer groups, civil society organisations and religious organisations have a big role to play in 2026 to educate and prepare people to vote wisely in 2027. To fail to prepare for 2027 is to prepare to fail the biggest test of democracy.