Elections Amendment Bill: How proposed law could change the way Kenyans follow election results

The Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2024, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot and Senate Minority Leader Stewart Madzayo, could provide Kenyans with a clearer legal avenue to access information about election technology and results. The Bill, examined by David Nthua on October 27, 2026, outlines deadlines for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to allow access to requested election information.

It suggests electronic copies of such information should be provided without charge, under Clauses 30 and 23. However, the Bill does not guarantee unrestricted access to election servers for every Kenyan. The deadlines apply only to requests made for scrutiny of votes, not for any other purpose. If the proposed law becomes enacted, the IEBC would not charge fees for information provided in softcopy format, but could charge a fee for hardcopy format, up to the actual costs of producing the copies.

The proposed amendments seek to ensure that election technology is accessible for scrutiny by candidates, courts, and other authorized personnel under the law. They also propose that intellectual property rights in election technology acquired by the commission would belong to the IEBC, and that election servers should be hosted within Kenya.