Kenya must not take peace for granted as it prepares for the 2027 General Election, Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chairman Erastus Ethekon has warned.
Recalling how a country once considered an “island of peace” was plunged into deadly post-election violence in 2007/08, Ethekon said violence that followed the disputed 2007 presidential election should remain a reminder that Kenya is not immune to political and ethnic conflict.
Speaking on Wednesday, during a high-level meeting of the National Election Security Roundtable Consultative Forum, Ethekon said the country had learnt to come up with peace committees from the events of 2007/08.
“This programme started in 2007 and, during that time, we used to think of Kenya as an island of peace in a sea of turmoil,” Ethekon said.
“Those who studied conflict and analysts in those days used to analyse regional conflicts. They never thought that the country could go the way it did in 2007, but it happened and it was very unfortunate and sad.”
Ethekon said the experience fundamentally changed how Kenya viewed electoral violence and conflict.
He recalled being among young officials called upon to support peace building efforts after the violence, including efforts to stabilise Kibra and facilitate dialogue between communities.
“We went to 14 districts and we saw what the madness that is called electoral violence can cause to our society,” he said.
At the time, Ethekon said, conflict experts had largely focused on areas affected by cross-border and inter-community violence, particularly in northern Kenya.
“There was Kenya A and Kenya B. Kenya B, where some of us come from, had never known peace. It was about cross-border conflicts and that is why we learnt about conflict and its sources,” he said.
Peace committees had been established in areas such as Wajir, where communities had long dealt with conflict, but the 2007/08 violence demonstrated that electoral violence could erupt even in parts of the country considered peaceful.
“By the time we went to 2007, we realised that the part of Kenya where there was progress was now burning,” he said.
“Conflict happened in places where we thought there was peace.”
The IEBC chairman said the experience taught Kenya an important lesson: peace cannot be assumed.
“Learning from the fact that we assumed that peace is a given, and yet it is not, made us learn that we were not immune to political and ethnic violence,” Ethekon said.
His remarks came as Kenya officially entered the election period following the gazettement of the electoral cycle on August 19.
Ethekon said while political activity had effectively begun soon after the last General Election, the gazettement formally marked the beginning of the electoral period and triggered a series of activities, including preparations to address election-related security concerns.
“You saw that we gazetted the electoral period cycle on August 19. Officially, we are in the election period,” he said.
“We started behaving like we are in an election period immediately after the last election, but now legally we are in that period.”
He said the commission had already provided Kenyans with a roadmap to the 2027 General Election, setting out specific timelines that would guide the electoral process.
“We have given Kenyans the roadmap to 2027 with specific timelines that cannot be changed,” he said.
Ethekon said that although the candidates who will contest the various positions are not yet known, preparations for the election must begin early.
“As of now, we do not know who the candidates are, but we will know as we move forward. The gazettement triggers a series of activities, including our preparations to handle election-related security matters,” he said.
He said a peaceful and conducive environment would be critical in enabling Kenyans to freely exercise their democratic rights.
“It is important to have a peaceful and conducive environment to facilitate Kenyans to exercise their rights,” Ethekon said.
The IEBC chairman said the 2027 elections would test the strength and preparedness of Kenya’s institutions and their ability to safeguard and strengthen democracy.
“These elections will test our institutions and our preparedness to strengthen Kenya’s democracy, and we must learn from our past and respond to any warning signs,” he said.
Ethekon said the IEBC could not deliver a credible and peaceful election in isolation, noting that responsibility for various aspects of the electoral process had been assigned to different institutions.
“We alone cannot carry this function in isolation, and the responsibility has been assigned to different institutions,” he said.
“I am happy today that we are here and all of you have taken us through everything you are doing in preparation for the General Election.”
He also emphasised the importance of strong institutions and adherence to national values and principles.
“Our nation is as strong as the institutions that we have and the values and principles that we have set and adhered to,” Ethekon said.
“Our nation will be as strong as the people who have the responsibility to run those institutions.”
Ethekon further cautioned the media against amplifying misinformation and disinformation, warning that false information could inflame fear and heighten tensions during the electoral period.
“The media must desist from falling into the trap of disinformation and misinformation,” he said.
“In 2007/08, we saw what happened. If we misinform and inflame fears and passions, we must understand the consequences.”
As Kenya begins preparations for the 2027 General Election, Ethekon said the lessons of 2007/08 should serve as a warning against complacency and a reminder that peace, strong institutions and early responses to emerging risks are essential to preventing electoral violence.
