‘Nonsense!’ Ruto Breaks Silence on Claims IEBC Livestreaming Has Been Banned

President William Ruto addresses claims about IEBC election results livestreaming and urges political leaders to stop spreading misinformation ahead of the 2027 polls.

President William Ruto has launched a sharp attack against political opponents, accusing them of exploiting Kenyan youth through propaganda and false narratives designed to disrupt national stability.

Speaking during a church service at AIC Kasina in Mwingi, Kitui County, President Ruto addressed widespread claims suggesting Parliament had scrapped the live transmission of presidential election results by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Dismissing reports that election livestreaming had been outlawed, the Head of State insisted that voters retain a constitutional right to real-time election outcomes. He accused unnamed political figures of deliberately misleading young citizens about legislative reforms ahead of the 2027 General Election.

“I’m seeing leaders trying to misuse the youth of Kenya with propaganda and fake news and false information. We saw it in 2024. There was a lot of propaganda spread on the finance bill,” he said.

Drawing parallels between the current debate and the turmoil surrounding the Finance Bill 2024, President Ruto noted how deliberate misinformation derailed key legislative plans.

“We had to stop the finance bill not because it was wrong, but because of propaganda. We eventually passed all the clauses of the bill because there was nothing wrong,” he noted.

National Assembly Retains Livestreaming Requirement

The political debate intensified following the passage of the Elections (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill (Senate Bill No. 29 of 2024) by the National Assembly, after public participation conducted by the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC).

Parliament clarified that reports alleging the removal of the IEBC’s obligation to livestream poll results are entirely inaccurate. Lawmakers confirmed that Section 39 of the Elections Act, specifically Section 39(1G), which mandates real-time transmission, remains fully intact.

During the legislative process, MPs deleted Clause 22, which originally sought to alter Section 39, thereby maintaining the existing legal structure. Parliament cited a High Court ruling (Okoiti & another v IEBC & 5 others), which upheld Section 39 and Regulation 83(2), cautioning lawmakers against interfering with statutory transmission requirements before 2027.

Addressing critics directly, President Ruto stressed that prompt, transparent reporting serves the public interest.

“They want to start another propaganda around the election laws; that livestreaming has been banned. Nonsense! Useless fake news and propaganda. Why would anybody want to stop the livestreaming of results? Results are the right of Kenyans. The sooner Kenyans get to know the results of an election, the better for our country,” he said.

President Ruto urged political leaders to stop exploiting young people for narrow political agendas and instead focus on constructive empowerment initiatives.

“I’m asking those leaders who are bankrupt of ideas and whose only business with our young people is to misuse them for their selfish political ends, mobilizing them around propaganda and useless things, please have better engagement with the young people of Kenya. They want education, jobs, opportunities, and doing business,” he said.

Key Electoral Reforms in Senate Bill No. 29

Beyond the transmission provisions, the Senate Bill includes several significant reforms to Kenya’s electoral framework:

• Keep the voter register open for continuous public inspection, except immediately before polls.
• Remove the IEBC from overseeing political party primaries.
• Revise procedures governing the recall of Members of Parliament.
• Grant political parties greater flexibility during nomination processes.
• Restrict voter registration suspensions during by-elections exclusively to affected electoral areas.
• Establish fairer dispute-resolution mechanisms.

Because the National Assembly passed the legislation with amendments, the bill returns to the Senate for concurrence under Article 110(4) of the Constitution before reaching the presidential desk.

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