The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has announced that it will undertake the review of constituency and ward boundaries through a phased approach, citing legal, operational, and time constraints ahead of the August 2027 General Election.
The Commission said this approach will allow it to focus on preparatory and technical activities now, while substantive boundary delimitation will only be carried out after the election using legally validated population data.
In a statement released on Tuesday, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon emphasized that the phased approach reflects the Commission’s commitment to constitutionalism, institutional integrity, and electoral preparedness.
“This decision ensures that boundary delimitation is undertaken lawfully, transparently, and sustainably, while safeguarding the orderly conduct and credibility of the 2027 General Election,” the Chairperson said.
The Commission highlighted several challenges that informed the decision, including the absence of Commissioners between January 2023 and July 2025, which delayed policy decisions and approval of the Boundary Review Operations Plan (BROP).
In addition, judicial rulings invalidating census data for several constituencies in Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera have restricted the availability of legally usable population data.
“Until the courts resolve the issues and litigation around the national population census report, the work will be hindered to the extent that valid census data is not available,” the statement read.
Other factors cited include ongoing litigation compelling the Commission to undertake reviews ahead of schedule, competing electoral priorities such as by-elections and continuous voter registration, and constitutional timelines requiring boundary reviews to be completed at least 12 months before an election.
Given the limited time remaining, IEBC concluded that full delimitation prior to the 2027 polls would be impractical and potentially compromise electoral preparedness.
Under the phased approach, the Commission will immediately scale up preparatory and technical activities such as geo-data collection, validation, capacity building, and acquisition of necessary tools. Activities that require finalized census data will be deferred until after the 2027 election.
The Commission also clarified that while there is public interest in increasing the number of constituencies, Article 89(1) of the Constitution caps the number at 290, meaning the review will focus only on boundary adjustments and names.
The IEBC said it will continue engaging stakeholders, including Parliament and the National Treasury, while progressively advancing its constitutional mandate.
“We remain fully committed to the Constitution, the rule of law, and the democratic rights of the people of Kenya,” the Chairperson affirmed.
This phased review approach is intended to ensure that Kenya’s electoral boundaries are managed in a legally compliant, transparent, and efficient manner while preserving the integrity of the upcoming elections.
