Religious Leaders, State Agencies Push for Democratic and Peaceful 2027 Elections

By Christopher mbiti 

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 3, 2026 

Religious leaders, electoral agencies, security institutions and civil society organisations have called for collective action to safeguard Kenya's democracy and prevent election-related violence ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The calls were made during the two-day National Stakeholders Convention on Democratic, Credible and Peaceful 2027 Elections, held at Ufungamano House in Nairobi from September 2 to 3.

The convention was convened under the Kenya Religious Leaders Forum, bringing together the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK) and the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM), alongside constitutional commissions, professional bodies and civil society organisations.

According to the NCCK, the convention brought together representatives from six umbrella religious institutions, seven constitutional agencies, five professional bodies and 21 civil society organisations to assess the country's readiness for the 2027 electoral cycle. 

Speaking during the convention SUPKEM Secretary General Sheikh Abdullahi Salat Omar focused on the influence of money in politics and called for greater inclusion of young people, women and persons with disabilities in leadership and democratic processes.

 “Faith communities have a responsibility to contribute constructively to the protection of peace, justice and national unity,” Sheikh Salat said.

He also warned against the commercialisation of politics, saying campaign finance rules must be enforced and places of worship protected from the influence of illicit political money. 

Representing the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Commissioner Dr Alutalala Mukhwana said the journey towards peaceful elections required every stakeholder to play their part.

 “Charting the country’s peaceful path to 2027 requires the religious community and all stakeholders to play their respective roles,” Dr Mukhwana said.

He further stressed the importance of engagement and accountability in addressing challenges facing the electoral process.

“Dialogue is essential in ensuring that stakeholders collectively contribute to a peaceful electoral process.” 

Meanwhile, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Chairperson Dr David Oginde warned against the growing influence of illicit money in Kenyan politics, saying religious leaders should refuse to legitimise politicians who use proceeds of corruption to finance campaigns.

“There is no way we are going to build a society of integrity if we are beneficiaries of illicit resources,” Oginde said.

He warned that politicians who use questionable wealth to finance their campaigns could later seek to recover their investments through corrupt government deals, including manipulated procurement and inflated tenders. 

The convention also featured discussions involving representatives from the National Police Service, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, National Cohesion and Integration Commission and other institutions responsible for safeguarding democracy, justice and security. 

At the conclusion of the convention, delegates identified political violence, goonism, human rights violations, youth exploitation and illicit political financing among key risks facing the 2027 electoral process.

Ends.