A legislative proposal in Kenya is igniting controversy by seeking to eliminate the mandatory livestreaming of election results from polling stations, potentially impacting the transparency of the 2027 General Election.

• The Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to repeal Section 39 of the Elections Act, which mandates this livestreaming mechanism.
• The bill has passed the Senate and is now before the National Assembly.
• This move could lead to a significant debate over electoral transparency, with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) expected to be central to the discussion.

A Kenyan government proposal to remove the mandatory livestreaming of election results from polling stations has sparked controversy and a looming battle over transparency for the 2027 General Election.

• The Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2024 seeks to delete Section 39 of the Elections Act, which mandates the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to facilitate livestreaming.
• The Bill was passed by the Senate in December 2024 and is now before the National Assembly.
• Critics fear this move could undermine electoral transparency and pave the way for rigging.

Despite having a robust network to combat misinformation, Kenya's General Election in August 2022 saw false information spread more rapidly than factual reports.

• The article highlights the struggle to counter the rapid dissemination of misinformation during the August 2022 election.
• Key organizations involved in countering misinformation and the electoral process include the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
• The content points to a systemic issue where false narratives gained more traction than verified information, despite existing countermeasures.