Ruto Explains What Parliament Actually Did After Claims of Election Results Livestreaming Ban

President William Ruto has dismissed claims that Parliament voted to ban the livestreaming of election results, describing the reports as propaganda intended to mislead young Kenyans. He spoke on Sunday, October 25, during a church service at Africa Inland Church (AIC) Kasina in Mwingi Constituency, Kitui County.

Ruto said the reports were misleading and accused unnamed political leaders of spreading information for their own interests. He maintained that Kenyans have a right to access election results and questioned why anyone would want to stop the livestreaming process.

The president urged political leaders to avoid using young people to push political agendas through claims he described as false. He said the country needed honest discussions about elections and other important national issues instead of information that could create unnecessary tension.

“The sooner Kenyans get to know the results of an election, the better for our nation,” Ruto said, stressing the importance of making election results available to the public.

He also compared the controversy to the public debate surrounding the 2024 Finance Bill. According to the president, misinformation had contributed to anger during that period, eventually forcing the government to stop the bill.

Ruto called on leaders to engage young people in discussions about education, employment and economic opportunities. He described the youth as an important national resource and urged politicians to use their influence responsibly.

The controversy followed reports that Parliament had removed a provision requiring election results to be livestreamed. The reports prompted criticism and debate on social media, with some Kenyans raising concerns about transparency ahead of the 2027 General Election.

However, the National Assembly said it had deleted Clause 22 of the election bill entirely rather than changing the existing law. The clause concerned proposed changes to Section 39 of the Elections Act, which governs the transmission and declaration of election results.

According to the House, the deletion means the existing provision, including the livestreaming requirement under Section 39(1G), remains unchanged.

The debate is likely to keep attention on election transparency and public access to results as Kenya prepares for the next general election.

Darknight feedback-opera-news-app@opera.com