Onyonka urges IEBC to announce presidential results directly from polling stations
By Ndiritu Wanjiru, February 10, 2026Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka has made a recommendation to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, IEBC, to consider announcing the presidential election results at the polling station as final before being transmitted to the Commission’s headquarters for announcement ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at a local TV station on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, Senator Onyonka said that one of the major issues in election tallying has always been the transmission of election results from the Ward and Sub-County levels to the commission’s headquarters. Senator Onyonka argues that this gives a platform for election rigging.
“What we are saying is that we stop the transmission of election results from the ward and subcounty levels to Nairobi, that is where the elections are always stolen,” Onyonka said.
“My argument is very simple: accept those results as final,” Onyonka added.
IEBC preparedness
The outspoken Kisii Senator has also raised concerns about the issues of breakdown of the KIEMS kit machines in certain areas, thereby affecting the election’s credibility.
Onyonka’s recommendations have come at a time when the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is gearing up for the preparations of the 2027 general elections. The IEBC has since promised to make the necessary preparations to ensure the delivery of free, fair and credible elections
Speaking on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, after a prayer breakfast meeting with the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK), IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon announced that the mass voter registration exercise will start on March 29, 2026.
The IEBC has also announced that it is implementing pre-registration reforms and system upgrades aimed at improving efficiency, reducing congestion at registration centres, and enhancing the overall voter experience, particularly for young voters and first-time registrants.
The IEBC has said that the preparations are critical to voter education, peacebuilding, transparency, and public trust. Despite progress, the Chairperson noted several challenges facing the Commission, including inadequate and delayed funding, delays in electoral legal reforms, which ideally should be finalised at least one year before a General Election to allow effective preparation.