Kenya’s electoral commission has officially set August 10, 2027, as the date for the country’s next General Election, launching a comprehensive timetable that will shape the political landscape over the next two years.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) announced the election date alongside its Election Operations Plan (EOP) 2025–2027, a strategic roadmap outlining the key activities, deadlines, and legal requirements that will guide preparations for one of East Africa’s most closely watched democratic exercises.
Speaking during the unveiling of the plan, Election Operations Committee Chairperson Ann Nderitu said the framework is designed to ensure the election is conducted in a transparent, accountable, and efficient manner while strengthening public participation and institutional readiness.
Under the timetable, public officials seeking elective office must resign from their positions by February 9, 2027, six months before voters go to the polls.
Political parties face a series of crucial deadlines, beginning with the submission of membership registers and details of party primary candidates by March 16, 2027. Parties must then conclude their nomination processes and resolve any internal disputes by May 9, 2027.
Independent candidates will also be required to formally sever ties with any registered political party by May 9 and submit their candidacy details and election symbols to the commission by the same date.
The nomination window for all candidates will run from May 29 to June 11, 2027, after which the commission will handle any nomination-related disputes within a legally prescribed timeframe.
Campaigning is scheduled to begin on May 29, 2027, and will end on August 7, just 48 hours before Election Day.
The release of the roadmap marks the official start of Kenya’s electoral countdown, providing political parties, candidates, institutions, and voters with a clear timeline for the processes that will culminate in the country’s next transfer of democratic power.
