Mudavadi: Opposition attacks on IEBC threaten 2027 election

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has accused Kenya’s opposition leaders of trying to discredit the 2027 election before voters even go to the polls. He said attacks on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, or IEBC, could weaken public confidence in the August 2027 General Election.

“Maintaining the integrity and public trust of the IEBC is critical for ensuring stable democratic processes and peaceful transitions of power,” Mudavadi said. “When the opposition attacks the referee, it seems they are not ready to get into the field.”

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Maintaining the integrity and public trust of the IEBC is critical for ensuring stable democratic processes and peaceful transitions of power. When the opposition attacks the referee, it seems they are not ready to get into the field.

Speaking at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu, where he met United Democratic Alliance aspirants from Kakamega and Vihiga counties, Mudavadi defended the commission’s independence. He pointed to recent by-elections conducted under Chairperson Erastus Ethekon as evidence that the electoral body could deliver credible results.

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When the opposition won the Ol Kalou seat, they praised the IEBC. But a few weeks later, they are out discrediting the same commission. What has changed all of a sudden? This opposition is scared to face President Ruto on the ballot.

Mudavadi questioned why opposition leaders had praised the IEBC after winning the Ol Kalou seat, then began criticizing it weeks later. He also accused them of fearing compliance with electoral rules ahead of party nominations expected early next year. He warned politicians against dictating how the commission deploys election officials, saying that responsibility falls within its constitutional and legal mandate.

He said UDA would field candidates from president to member of county assembly and would continue strengthening its grassroots support under the broad-based arrangement. Mudavadi called for a peaceful, free and fair election, while openly backing President William Ruto’s bid for a second term. He also urged residents across Western Kenya to register, saying the vote-rich region had recorded numbers below its targets.

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We want peace, and we want a free and fair election including the victory of President Ruto, whom we are working hard to secure a second term with an undisputed margin against the opposition.