The opposition on Wednesday held talks with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in a meeting that was described as one that sought to open dialogue and discuss various concerns as the country prepares for the 2027 General Election.
The opposition leaders, led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, held a meeting with IEBC commissioners at their offices in Anniversary Towers in Nairobi. The leaders present during the meeting included Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Martha Karua (PLP), Eugene Wamalwa (DAP-K), and Jubilee’s Fred Matiang’i, who is the party’s deputy leader.
Speaking after the meeting, the opposition leaders said that their main intention was to pay a courtesy call on the IEBC, but in the process, raised serious issues that must be addressed early to avoid election disputes in the future.
The main reason cited was that the IEBC, which was recently reconstituted, has not yet gained the trust of many Kenyans.
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Kalonzo Musyoka, who was present during the meeting, said that the opposition was very open with the IEBC, citing various concerns that many people have, especially in recent times, especially after the by-elections that were held in various parts of the country.
“We were very candid. We are not happy with how the by-elections were handled. There is a perception out there that this is a William Ruto commission, and we told them so.”
Kalonzo also cited the procurement of KIEMS kits, as well as the involvement of Smartmatic, which he claimed had been involved in various questionable acts in other countries.
“They must give Kenyans clear and demonstrable outcomes. We agreed to work together through technical teams in a transparent way,” Kalonzo added.
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From the meeting, the opposition claimed that both parties agreed on a framework that would guide their interactions in the future and help resolve some of the issues before the next general elections.
Former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i said that the meeting was positive and that it was the first time that the IEBC was agreeing to a structured way of working with the opposition.
“We had a cordial conversation. For the first time, we agreed to institutionalise our engagement. There will be another meeting to go through the issues we raised,” Matiang’i said.
He added that the opposition has no issues working with the IEBC as long as they continue to do so
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Rigathi Gachagua, however, maintained that the November by-elections, which he described as the IEBC’s first major test, were flawed.
He warned that the upcoming February by-election would be closely watched and would serve as a key test of the commission’s credibility.
“Elections are very emotive. If people feel they are not credible, tensions will rise,” Gachagua said. “For now, we are giving the IEBC the benefit of the doubt.”
The opposition said continued dialogue would be key in rebuilding trust and preventing election-related disputes as the country moves closer to 2027.
