With the 2027 General Election drawing closer, Parliament will next week begin work on a raft of election laws that are expected to shape the conduct of the polls, as lawmakers return to the House for one of their busiest sessions before campaigns begin.
The National Assembly will resume sittings on Tuesday, July 28, 2026 for the second part of its fifth session, with electoral reforms expected to take priority. The Justice and Legal Affairs Committee is set to table its report on proposals submitted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which has asked Parliament to conclude all election-related matters by August 31.
The commission says early passage of the proposed laws will give it enough time to prepare for next year's General Election. The proposed timelines are in line with recommendations made by the Kriegler Commission Report, which advises that election reforms should be completed at least one year before a General Election.
Kenya followed the same approach before the 2017 General Election when the 11th Parliament passed electoral reforms spearheaded by the Parliamentary Joint Select Committee on the IEBC and electoral legislation more than a year before polling day.
Among the changes being proposed is the repeal of Section 20 on breach of the Electoral Code of Conduct. The IEBC wants the responsibility of dealing with election offences to rest entirely with the commission instead of being shared with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The Justice and Legal Affairs Committee has also been examining a proposal to amend Clause 19 (8A) of the Elections Laws (Amendment) Bill. If approved, anyone nominated by a political party to serve in a county assembly will have to be a registered voter in that county.
Besides election laws, lawmakers are also expected to debate several key Bills during the session. They include the Kenya Revenue Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Strategic Goods Control Bill, 2026 and the County Governments Election Laws (Amendment) Bill (Senate Bill No. 2 of 2024).
The Kenya Revenue Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2026 seeks to amend the Kenya Revenue Authority Act to strengthen tax administration, improve operational efficiency and enhance revenue collection.
The Strategic Goods Control Bill, 2026 seeks to establish a legal framework for regulating, controlling and monitoring strategic goods, technology and related services in order to meet Kenya's international non-proliferation and security obligations.
The County Governments Election Laws (Amendment) Bill (Senate Bill No. 2 of 2024) seeks to amend the Elections Act and County Governments Act to provide for the nomination of members to county assemblies representing marginalised groups.
With just over a year remaining before Kenyans head to the ballot, Parliament is under pressure to clear critical legislation before members leave to seek re-election. House leaders have agreed that priority will only be given to budget matters, election laws and constitutional amendment Bills linked to the polls.
The House is also expected to handle the debt management strategy, budget estimates and other key financial legislation, including the Division of Revenue Bill, County Allocation of Revenue Bill, the Appropriation Bill, Supplementary Appropriation Bill and the Finance Bill.
These measures must be approved within constitutional timelines, meaning lawmakers will have to work through a demanding legislative calendar to complete the budget process for the next financial year.
Passing the budget is also important because it will provide the funding required by the IEBC to prepare and conduct the 2027 General Election.
Once the priority business is concluded, the 13th Parliament is expected to adjourn sine die until after the General Election.
The decision to narrow the House agenda follows lessons from previous parliaments, especially the 10th Parliament, when some legislators remained in Nairobi to finish House business while their political opponents spent more time campaigning in their constituencies.
Speaking during this year's National Assembly legislative retreat in Naivasha, Clerk of the National Assembly Samuel Njoroge said the House intends to complete its work early to allow members enough time to campaign.
“By mid-June, around June 18, we plan for a ‘sine die’ recess so that members are able to go out and campaign. We learnt from the lessons of the 10th Parliament that when we hold members back to do parliamentary business while your competitors are on the ground, we disadvantage you,” Njoroge said.
Another matter awaiting Parliament is the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which is before the Senate after receiving approval from the National Assembly in July last year.
The Bill seeks to anchor the National Government Constituencies Development Fund, the Senate Oversight Fund and the National Government Affirmative Action Fund in the Constitution.
The proposal is expected to address long-standing challenges affecting the implementation of the three funds while supporting access to government services and strengthening affirmative action programmes.