Livestreaming of Election Results May End if Ruto Signs New Bill

President William Ruto could pave the way for changes to Kenya’s election transparency rules if he signs a bill that removes the legal requirement for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to livestream results announced at polling stations.

The proposal is contained in the Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which seeks to replace Section 39 of the Elections Act. Members of Parliament have approved the proposed changes, raising fresh questions about public access to election results ahead of the August 2027 General Election.

The amendment would remove the specific legal obligation requiring IEBC to establish a mechanism for livestreaming results as they are announced at polling stations. This means Kenyans could lose the statutory guarantee of watching the announcements in real time.

However, the proposed changes do not eliminate electronic transmission of election results or their publication online. The bill retains provisions requiring the commission to transmit presidential results electronically within two hours of their declaration and publish polling-station results forms through its public portal.

The distinction has become central to the debate. Livestreaming allows the public to watch results announcements as they happen, while electronic transmission sends results through the electoral system. Online publication enables citizens, political parties and observers to examine the official result forms.

Critics argue that removing mandatory livestreaming could weaken public scrutiny and make it harder to compare results announced at polling stations with figures released at tallying centres. They maintain that transparency is particularly important in a country where electoral disputes have previously undermined public confidence.

Supporters of the proposed changes argue that the electoral process should focus on legally recognised results, verification and reliable transmission systems.

The IEBC has also clarified that it did not draft or sponsor the bill, although the commission could still choose to livestream results voluntarily if the legal requirement is removed.

The proposal follows earlier court decisions concerning the legal status of livestreamed results. Its final implementation will depend on the remaining legislative process and presidential action.

As the 2027 election approaches, Kenyans will be watching closely to see whether the final law preserves sufficient transparency and accountability in the announcement of election results.

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