The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has cited legal, institutional and time-related constraints as the main reasons it has been unable to complete electoral boundary reviews within the constitutional timeline ahead of the August 2027 General Election.
In a press statement, 27th January, the Commission said the boundary review process stalled after the lapse of the previous Commission in January 2023, leaving IEBC without Commissioners until July 2025. During this period, the Secretariat could not approve policy decisions, including the Boundary Review Operations Plan and directives on boundary delimitation.
IEBC also pointed to court rulings that invalidated the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census data for Garissa, Wajir and Mandera counties. The High Court nullified the data in January 2025, and the Court of Appeal later ordered maintenance of the status quo pending the outcome of an appeal, rendering the census data unusable for determining population quotas and initiating boundary delimitation.
The Commission warned that delays have exposed it to litigation, with cases already filed in 2025 seeking to compel boundary reviews ahead of the 2027 polls. It said continued legal challenges could disrupt preparations for the General Election.
IEBC further cited a Supreme Court advisory opinion, which clarified that boundary delimitation cannot be undertaken by the Secretariat in the absence of Commissioners. The time taken to obtain this guidance, coupled with uncertainty around constitutional timelines, slowed progress.
Additionally, the Commission said it is balancing boundary reviews with other critical electoral duties, including by-elections, voter registration, legal reforms and preparations for the 2027 General Election. A full delimitation exercise, which requires at least two years, is no longer feasible within the remaining time.
In a September 2025 advisory opinion, the Supreme Court emphasized the need to address voter dilution while affirming IEBC’s independence and noting that boundary delimitation involves broader constitutional values beyond strict timelines.
