The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has explained the reasons behind the delayed unveiling of its Strategic Plan for the period 2024–2029, with Commissioner Francis Aduol stating that the current team of commissioners required time to review and contribute to the document after assuming office.
Speaking during the launch of the strategic plan on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, Aduol acknowledged that the document was originally intended to guide the Commission from 2024 but noted that its publication was postponed to allow the new commissioners to actively participate in shaping its direction.
“You will notice we are presenting this in 2026, yet the strategic plan itself is for 2024–2029. Strictly speaking, we should have presented this before 2024 started,” Aduol said.
He explained that when the current commissioners joined the electoral body, the strategic plan was already under development and significant portions had been completed by the previous planning team.
However, the commissioners felt it was necessary to undertake a thorough review to ensure the document reflected their vision for the Commission and aligned with the priorities they intended to pursue during their tenure.
“When we got in, the strategic plan was already being developed, and a big part of it was already completed. But we thought, as commissioners, that we needed to interact with it a little bit more intensively as new commissioners, so that we could bring in our thinking on where we would like to take the commission,” he said.
According to Aduol, the final strategic plan is a product of both past and present contributions, combining work undertaken before the current commissioners assumed office with insights generated during their tenure.
He noted that the document also benefited from extensive consultations involving IEBC staff and a wide range of stakeholders, making it a collective framework for the Commission’s future operations.
“What is being presented today has received input from before the time we arrived at the commission and from the time we have been at the commission. Therefore, all of us as commissioners and staff of IEBC, and stakeholders with whom we have consulted, agree that this is the strategic plan that we should present to the people of Kenya,” Aduol added.
The launch of the strategic plan comes alongside the unveiling of the Election Operations Plan for the 2027 General Election, which outlines key electoral timelines and preparations leading to the August 10, 2027 polls.
The Commission says the strategic plan will guide its operations through 2029, focusing on strengthening electoral management, enhancing stakeholder engagement, improving voter services, and promoting credible and transparent elections.
Governance experts noted that the strategic plan will play a critical role in shaping the Commission’s preparations for the next General Election and restoring public confidence in electoral institutions.
With the roadmap now officially unveiled, attention is expected to shift to the implementation of the plan and the Commission’s readiness to deliver a credible electoral process in 2027.
