Media Council warns against unauthorised opinion polls ahead of by-elections
By Faith Lagat, November 23, 2025The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has issued a stern advisory urging media outlets, journalists, and online platforms to immediately stop conducting or publishing unscientific and unauthorised election-related opinion polls, commonly called “voodoo” polls, ahead of the by-elections scheduled for November 27, 2025.
In its statement dated November 23, 2025, the council emphasised: “The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) is reminding media outlets, journalists, and online platforms that conducting or publishing unscientific and unauthorised election-related opinion polls (commonly known as ‘voodoo’ polls) is illegal and must stop immediately ahead of the by-elections scheduled for 27 November 2025.”
Legal and ethical obligations
The advisory highlighted that such practices contravene the Publication of Electoral Opinion Polls Act, 2012, and the MCK Election Reporting Guidelines.
“So-called ‘call-in’ or ‘instant polls’ are misleading because they fail to meet the legal and professional standards required by the Act and recognised ethical guidelines. They also breach the statutory prohibition on publishing opinion poll results during the five days immediately preceding election day,” the statement noted.
The law clearly provides that: “A person shall not publish the results of any electoral opinion poll on the day of the election or during the period of five days immediately preceding the date of the election.”
Guidance for media practitioner
The Council stressed that the Election Reporting Guidelines extend to social media polls, live broadcasts, phone-ins, and talk shows. Media houses and journalists are expected to comply with these regulations and all relevant laws, particularly the instruction to “refrain from conducting opinion polls and publishing results on their social media platforms.”
The guidelines further clarify that “attempts gathered during live or pre-recorded vox-pop segments from people chosen at random are not scientific surveys.”
Journalists and media organisations have been urged to desist from any actions that breach the law, professional ethical standards, or in-house editorial policies, as these frameworks demand responsible and lawful journalistic conduct.
The advisory comes just four days before polling in several constituencies and wards, underlining the need to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process in the final campaign phase.
The Media Council of Kenya reaffirmed its commitment to upholding legal and ethical standards in election coverage while reminding media practitioners of their duty to provide accurate and lawful information to the public.