The political scenario in the country has dramatically changed after the United Opposition announced a serious five-point demand to the electoral body IEBC after the by-elections held on November 27 in Kenya.
They are questioning the polls’ legitimacy. Through their legal representatives, they issued a warning to IEBC about lawsuits if their grievances are not resolved. This situation could change the entire 2027 election scenario to their advantage.
The demands were made public this week by UO leaders and were issued as follows:- Allegations of manipulation in voter rolls and auditor trails that the Opposition believes will tarnish the integrity of the voter register, and an explanation by the IEBC.- Problem reports, such as pre-marked ballots and suspicious serialization processes during ballot printing and distribution, among others, to be explained by the IEBC.-
The presence of plain-clothes security personnel and unmarked vehicles in certain constituencies is being reported by UO as voter intimidation attempts; hence, they demand an explanation from the IEBC.-
A public report on all the ways state resources were utilized during the campaign period, like food aid, relief items, diplomatic appointments, etc., which the coalition claims were used to influence voters.-
Total transparency with regard to the poll supervision fairness, including poll officers and counting center staff.
The request arises from the fear that most officers that were supposed to be impartial actually helped in rigging the results, thus adding to the demand.The United Opposition has issued a strict 14-day deadline for full written responses.
They caution that, if their demand is not met, they will resort to court challenges and nationwide protests
.The results of the by-elections, which IEBC announced on December 1, 2025, showed the winners in many tightly contested constituencies.
Nonetheless, as the UO has rejected these results and has alleged systematic issues, the integrity of the whole electoral process is being seriously questioned again.
To date, the IEBC has not issued any formal reply to these demands.The
The ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has called the accusations “groundless assertions from a scared opposition” and has blamed the UO for expecting loss and attempting to undermine the election beforehand.
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