Kenya’s electoral system continues to face a deep trust crisis, with many citizens doubting the independence of election officials and the credibility of the process, Advocate of the High Court Prof. PLO Lumumba has warned.
According to Lumumba, elections are carried out under a cloud of suspicion, fueled by perceived influence from the incumbent administration and weak institutional confidence.
Speaking on Radio Generation on Tuesday, Lumumba said the country’s elections are always marked by mistrust, as those outside government fear that officials overseeing the process are “beholden to the incumbent administration.”
“That fear has merit,” he added, highlighting the appointment procedures for electoral officials and the role of what he described as “the unseen hand of the incumbent administration,” based on historical patterns.
While Lumumba emphasized the importance of faith in institutions, he expressed doubt that such trust can be rebuilt before the 2027 elections. “Between now and the month of August 2027 that is not going to happen,” he said.
He illustrated the depth of the problem by pointing out that Kenya prints its ballot papers abroad, a measure driven by widespread distrust among citizens.
“Africa is the only country where the cost of printing a ballot is more than the cost of printing currency,” Lumumba said, adding that even the electoral body “does not have faith in itself,” citing repeated failures of election technologies whose origins are unclear.
Warning about the upcoming General Election, Lumumba predicted significant system failures. “I can guarantee you that election in 2027 almost half of those things will fail, and there will be accusations of rigging,” he said, stressing the urgent need to restore public confidence in electoral institutions.
He argued that the credibility of elections can only be ensured through fully verifiable processes, insisting that results must be determined and announced at the polling stations.
“When you do that, you are able to verify stream by stream, and you have your party agents,” Lumumba explained, noting that this would allow every Kenyan to independently tally results “without the midwifery of the IEBC.”
Lumumba also criticized the current approach to election petitions, stating that physical vote recounts often reveal uncomfortable truths.
He recalled instances where voter turnout exceeded the number of registered voters, citing the 2007 election, when some areas recorded “103 percent” turnout due to ballot paper manipulation.
Ultimately, Lumumba said the root of Kenya’s electoral challenges lies in a deep trust deficit and the fierce competition for political office.
“Political office is the avenue for theft… it allows you to steal with impunity,” he said, warning that unless trust is rebuilt, elections will remain highly contested and disputed rather than serving the national interest.
