Kenya 2027 General Election

What this countdown tracks

The clock above counts down to Kenya's 2027 general election on Tuesday, August 10, 2027 — the country's first general election since President William Ruto's 2022 win. Voters select a president and deputy president, all 290 National Assembly constituency seats and 47 women representatives, all 67 elected Senators, 47 county governors, and county assemblies. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) runs the vote.

About this election

Kenya's general elections fall on the second Tuesday of August every five years under the 2010 Constitution. A presidential candidate must secure more than 50% of the vote and at least 25% in 24 of 47 counties; failure triggers a runoff within 30 days between the two leaders. The 2022 election delivered an unusually narrow Ruto win over Raila Odinga (50.49% to 48.85%) and was upheld by a unanimous Supreme Court despite IEBC commissioner dissent.

The 2027 vote is shaped by the 2024 Gen-Z protests against the Finance Bill, the broad-based government formed with Odinga's ODM allies after the protests, the cost-of-living crisis, and the continuing Boniface Mwangi-style civic mobilization. Ruto is eligible for a second and final term; Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua, Rigathi Gachagua (after his 2024 impeachment as Deputy President), and ODM successors will all jockey for the opposition lane. Reform of the IEBC itself — finally reconstituted in 2025 after a long vacancy — will be tested in real time.

Key issues

Cost-of-living and tax policy after the 2024 unrest, public-debt sustainability and IMF conditionality, the future of the Affordable Housing Levy and SHIF/SHA, security in the Rift Valley and northern frontier, and Kenya's role in the Haiti multinational security mission will all loom large. Devolution and county financing remain perennial flashpoints.

Past results

• 2022: William Ruto (UDA, Kenya Kwanza) defeated Raila Odinga (Azimio) 50.49% to 48.85%.
• 2017: Uhuru Kenyatta won, the Supreme Court annulled the result, and he won the rerun unopposed.
• 2013: Kenyatta won the first election under the 2010 Constitution.
• 2007: Mwai Kibaki's disputed re-election triggered post-election violence.
• 2002: Kibaki ended KANU's four-decade rule on a NARC ticket.

How to follow

Live results stream from iebc.or.ke and on the IEBC results portal. Domestic outlets KTN, Citizen TV, NTV, and Nation Media's NMG run wall-to-wall coverage; international coverage from BBC Africa, Reuters Nairobi, and the Daily Nation in English. The hashtag #KenyaDecides2027 is canonical.

Related countdowns

Pair this with peer African and global democratic milestones: Nigeria 2027 presidential, South Africa-hosted ICC Cricket World Cup 2027, COP32 Addis Ababa 2027, and BRICS summit 2027.

FAQ

When does Kenya's 2027 election happen? Tuesday, August 10, 2027 — the second Tuesday of August per the Constitution. Where is the vote held? Nationwide across all 47 counties. Why does it matter? It is Ruto's first re-election bid and the first national vote after the 2024 Gen-Z protests reshaped Kenyan politics. What is the 50%+25% rule? A presidential winner must receive over 50% of valid votes and at least 25% in 24 of 47 counties — otherwise a runoff is held.