How live-streaming can shore up trust in Kenya's elections- PS Sing'oei

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Singoei has defended the live transmission of election results, saying it is essential to building public trust in Kenya’s electoral system and strengthening international confidence in the country’s elections.

Singoei said the system should be strengthened rather than scrapped because of technological challenges, arguing that real-time access to results promotes transparency during democratic transitions.

Speaking on Wednedsay, October 21, during the inaugural Trust Summit in Nairobi, the PS averted that Kenya’s ability to transmit results in real time had helped build confidence in its elections.

“In my view, from the transparency point of view, confidence internationally with respect to Kenyan elections, the fact that we have been able to transmit results in real time has been one of the factors,” he said.

He acknowledged that the system could experience technological glitches and cybersecurity challenges that might create fear and anxiety among voters.

However, such challenges should be addressed through improvements rather than used to justify scrapping live transmission, he added.

“We would like to see that strengthened and not taken away because of complexity,” he said.

Singoei reiterated his support for live transmission, saying concerns about the technology should be addressed without compromising transparency in the electoral process.

“These issues should not be the reason for removing live transmission. I am on the side of live transmission,” he said.

However, the PS said he had not examined the Elections (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2024, and could not comment on its specific provisions concerning the transmission of election results.

He acknowledged that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and Parliament were better placed to explain the proposed amendments and their implications.

His remarks come as the National Assembly considers the Bill, which seeks to remove the explicit legal requirement for the IEBC to establish a mechanism for livestreaming election results as they are announced at polling stations.

The Bill, which emerged from the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) process and was co-sponsored by Senate leaders Aaron Cheruiyot and Stewart Madzayo, was passed by the Senate in December 2024. It is now before the National Assembly for consideration and concurrence.

The proposed amendments seek to repeal and replace Section 39 of the Elections Act, which governs the transmission, determination and declaration of election results.

Under the proposed framework, the IEBC would still be required to electronically transmit presidential election results within two hours of their declaration and publish polling station result forms on its public online portal for verification.

Results declared at polling stations would also remain final. However, the Bill would remove the specific legal requirement for the commission to livestream results as they are announced.

The proposal has sparked debate over electoral transparency and accountability ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Critics argue that removing the mandatory livestreaming requirement could weaken public scrutiny of the vote-counting process by limiting the ability of citizens, political parties and election observers to follow results as they are announced at polling stations.

They also warn that the change could make it harder for media organisations to independently verify results in real time before the IEBC makes its final announcements.

Livestreaming allows the public to watch results being announced at polling stations, while electronic transmission sends results through the electoral system. Publishing result forms enables the public to examine and compare the figures.

Although the three mechanisms can complement one another, each serves a distinct purpose in promoting transparency and accountability.

The IEBC has also distanced itself from the legislative proposal, saying it did not draft or sponsor the Bill.

The National Assembly now faces a decision on whether to retain the legal requirement for livestreaming election results or proceed with the proposed changes ahead of the 2027 General Election.