Politicians warned to leave IEBC alone and focus on their campaigns
By Luke Oluoch, December 8, 2025IEBC commissioner Hassan Noor Hassan has challenged political players to focus their energies on learning the political process of the country and not be unduly concerned with the workings of the electoral referee.
Speaking during the IEBC’s Stakeholder Engagement Forum on the just-concluded November 27th by-elections on Monday, Hassan vouched for IEBC independence, stressing that neither the electoral body nor the commissioners could be engaged in stealing votes or manipulating an election.
Focus on educating your voters
“My message to politicians is please spend energy in understanding the political process and educating your voters and not on how IEBC works. IEBC cannot steal votes from you; a commissioner will not help you; it is your voters who will help you get elected,” he stated.
He also warned of the dangers of attacking the electoral umpire ahead of the 2027 polls.
The commissioner highlighted that IEBC’s role is only to midwife an election process, stressing that when players opt to attack the institution, they jeopardise the delivery of a fair and transparent process.
2027 elections
Hassan mirrored the sentiments of Chair Erastus Ethekon, assuring that the next polls will be free and credible.
“I want to say to the people who have been saying a lot of things about the 2027 elections.
As a commissioner, I want to tell you that we will have the most peaceful and credible elections in 2027. If you try not to play by the rules, from the by-elections, I want to tell you that we will bar people from contesting,” he posited.
His remarks come after Ethekon stated that it is impossible to steal elections in Kenya, stressing that the electoral process has adequate checks and observers to ensure voting credibility.
Ethekon on rigging elections
Ethekon stated that transparency is reinforced by electoral officials, observers, and media scrutiny.
“It is high time politicians learned that to steal elections in this country is an impossibility. The returning officer observes, and the media can tell you it is impossible. Where will you get the chance to put in your votes before all the observers and the media present?” he said.
The chair also warned against attempts to exert undue influence on electoral officials, his sentiments ostensibly emanating from the event witnessed during the concluded November 27, 2025, by-elections.