The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has sought the support of the United Nations (UN) in strengthening its preparedness for the 2027 General Election.

This comes as the electoral body intensifies efforts to ensure transparent, credible, and technologically secure elections.

In a meeting held in Nairobi with the UN’s Electoral Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) to Kenya, the Commission engaged in discussions centered on mutual areas of collaboration in electoral planning and management.

The UN delegation was led by Akinyemi Adegbola, the Principal Electoral Advisor at the UN’s Electoral Assistance Division (EAD).

Adegbola assured the Commission of the UN’s commitment to continue supporting Kenya’s democratic development.

“Kenya remains a pillar of democracy in the region, and the United Nations is dedicated to providing full support to ensure that the 2027 elections are credible, inclusive, and transparent,” he said.

He further noted that the UN would review the Commission’s needs and align them with global electoral support priorities.

IEBC Prioritizes Youth Engagement and Voter Education

IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon emphasized the need for targeted support in several areas, including youth participation, strategic communication, and voter inclusion.

The Commission also appealed for assistance in electoral security, conflict prevention, stakeholder dialogue, early voting mechanisms, and digitized voter education initiatives.

Ethekon noted that the Commission was particularly keen on enhancing digital literacy among voters and election officials.

He called for support in developing training materials, digitizing voter education content, and printing educational resources to boost public awareness ahead of the polls.

Tackling Digital Threats and Misinformation

With global concerns growing over the impact of technology on elections, IEBC requested technical assistance to counter emerging digital threats such as artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes, misinformation, and disinformation.

The Commission plans to build the capacity of its digital monitoring and communication teams to identify and respond to such challenges promptly.

“The integrity of elections now depends as much on managing digital threats as on physical logistics,” Ethekon said.

“We must equip our teams with the right tools to detect and counter misinformation before it undermines public trust.”

Call for Early Support

Ethekon urged the UN to initiate its support well before the 2027 election cycle begins.

“We should involve all players in the electoral process to ensure everyone plays their role. I call upon the UN NAM team to support the Commission early enough and not to wait to come on board close to the 2027 General Election,” he stated.

Expressing gratitude to the UN for its long-standing partnership in election management, Ethekon reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to continuous improvement.

“The journey of building credible electoral systems is both complex and continuous. But with your partnership, we are better positioned to uphold the democratic aspirations of the Kenyan people,” he concluded.

The meeting marked the beginning of a structured collaboration between the IEBC and the UN as Kenya prepares to hold its next General Election in 2027, with a focus on transparency, inclusion, and digital resilience.

IEBC Officials with the UN’s Electoral Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) in Nairobi. PHOTO/ IEBC X.