Former Azimio presidential chief agent Saitabao ole Kanchory has waded into the national conversation around the 2027 General Election as the newly sworn-in Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission settles in to prepare for the polls.
Kanchory cautioned that winning or losing a presidential election goes far beyond the polling station, the point where votes are tallied before being transmitted to the national tallying centre at the Bomas of Kenya.
In a sharp statement posted on X, Kanchory dismissed what he called the “oversimplification” of the electoral process, arguing that many Kenyans fail to grasp the complexity of how presidential elections are managed.
“Very few people know how presidential elections are managed, won or lost,” he said.
“The argument that elections start and end in the polling station is an oversimplification of a very complex matter.”
According to him, the polling station is merely the site where ballots are cast, counted, tabulated and transmitted — but the actual architecture of elections lies in the hands of the IEBC.
He pointed out that the commission determines the location of polling stations, voter eligibility through registration and KIEMS kits, ballot paper quality and distribution, who counts the votes, and how results are transmitted, tallied, announced, and declared.
“99 per cent of people with bloated opinions have no idea what they are talking about,” he added.
Kanchory’s remarks come amid rising public pressure on the new IEBC team led by chairperson Erastus Ethekon, who were sworn into office on Friday.
Many Kenyans are looking to the commission to deliver a credible and transparent General Election in 2027, especially after the deeply polarising 2022 contest.
That election ended dramatically on August 15, when the then IEBC chair Wafula Chebukati declared William Ruto the winner with 7,176,141 votes (50.49 per cent) against Raila Odinga’s 6,942,930 (48.85 per cent).
Chaos erupted at the Bomas of Kenya shortly before the announcement, with Kanchory and other Azimio members storming the podium in a bid to halt the results declaration.
One user on X reminded Kanchory of that moment: “I vividly remember your shout at the Bomas ‘Bomas of Kenya is a crime scene’ when things were badly unfolding.”
Raila challenged the results at the Supreme Court, but the petition was dismissed and Ruto's victory upheld.
As the 2027 elections draw closer, Kanchory's comments appear aimed at refocusing public attention on the broader, often unseen dynamics of electoral management.
A number of Kenyans weighed in on the discussion, with one bemoaning the IEBC’s potentially excessive influence over election results.
“The IEBC’s control over the entire electoral architecture means the results can be skewed well before a single vote is cast.”
Others responded with strong confidence in the public’s role as a watchdog, sending a clear message to the new commission: Kenyans are watching.
“Kenyans are watching IEBCs and whoever who may tamper with data,” one warned.
Another added: "Technology will be our salvation. Once polling stations are mapped we use technology to get data of total voters there. Keep tabs on the numbers."
A different user urged constant vigilance: "Ultimately, it remains a numbers game. For the populace, it means educated, wary citizens constantly on the lookout for these games. Our one advantage is our number. We must use it to smother any attempts in the bud.”
