The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has proposed a two-stage electoral process, beginning with county elections followed by presidential polls a year later. Chairman Wafula Chebukati outlined the plan during a presentation to the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) task force, emphasizing the need for systemic reforms to reduce political polarization.
"Our current first-past-the-post (FPTP) system, inherited from colonial rule, fuels divisive elections," Chebukati stated. The commission is advocating for proportional representation (PR) or mixed-member representation (MMR) to prioritize party-based governance over individual candidates. "PR strengthens political parties and shifts focus from personalities to policy," he explained.
IEBC Commissioner Prof Abdi Guliye argued that separating county and national elections would prevent political actors from exploiting the president's party machinery. Ford-Kenya Secretary General Dr. Eseli Simiyu endorsed the reforms, citing successful implementations in South Africa, Botswana, and Europe. "Amending the Political Parties and Elections Acts is critical to operationalizing these changes," he said.
