The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has cleared Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K) candidate Seth Panyako to contest the Malava By-Election on November 27, despite a legal challenge.

• Panyako's clearance comes despite an existing petition to bar him from the by-election due to his continued service as a Board Member of the Local Authorities Provident Fund (LAPFUND), past the August 15 resignation deadline for public officers.
• He was accompanied to the IEBC office by DAP-K Party Leader Eugene Wamalwa and Senate Minority Leader Boni Khalwale.
• Filed by fellow aspirant Caleb Burudi, the petition cited Panyako's participation in a LAPFUND workshop in Naivasha from September 9-12.
• Panyako will now face front-runners David Ndakwa of the United Democratic Alliance and Edgar Busiega from the DCP.

The Elections Observation Group (ELOG) has raised significant concerns regarding data privacy over the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s (IEBC) introduction of iris scans in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR). ELOG emphasizes that while the technology could enhance voter verification, a lack of transparent communication on data handling could undermine public confidence and participation.

• ELOG urges the IEBC to publicly disclose if a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) was conducted and clarify third-party access to biometric data.
• Victor Nyongesa, ELOG Chairperson, stated that "Data security and transparency are foundational to electoral credibility."
• The IEBC must assure Kenyans that their biometric data will be securely managed in line with the Data Protection Act of 2019.