Risk of electoral violence in Kenya reaches 84.1%
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Citizen Digital
Kenyan human rights organisations are warning of a risk of violence ahead of the 2027 general election, assessed at 84.1% by the Kofi Annan Foundation. Their report denounces democratic backsliding, political violence and police abuses, according to Citizen Digital.
Kenyan civil society organisations estimate the risk of electoral violence ahead of the 2027 presidential election at 84.1%, according to an assessment by the Kofi Annan Foundation cited by David Malombe, executive director of the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC). They warn of the shrinking democratic space and the deterioration of human rights in the country.
A report covering the period from September 2025 to October 2026 notes an increase in political violence, police-linked killings, enforced disappearances and attacks on journalists and human rights defenders. The signatory organisations, including Amnesty International and the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU), are calling on the state to guarantee peaceful political competition and fight impunity.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) is asking Parliament to require the live broadcasting of polling-station results, in addition to their electronic transmission to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). Its president, Charles Kanjama, believes voters must be able to examine and verify the results. The LSK warned that it would bring legal challenges against any legislative measure that failed to guarantee this transparency.
Sheila Masinde, executive director of Transparency International Kenya, is calling for swift electoral reforms, impartial public institutions and enforcement of the campaign-financing law to prevent the misuse of public resources. The warnings come as Kenya’s opposition plans to choose its candidate at Christmas. The country also recently saw the arrest of a Kenyan for ethnic incitement on Facebook, on 28 October 2026.
