NAIROBI, Kenya Sep 16 – Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has assured development partners and the international community that Kenya will hold free, fair and verifiable elections in 2027, insisting there will be no attempt to delay the polls or circumvent constitutional requirements.

Prof Kindiki said the Government would adhere to the Constitution and existing electoral laws, dismissing any suggestion that the elections could be postponed or held outside the established legal framework.

“We want to assure our partners that the Government of Kenya under President Ruto believes in democracy, rule of law and all the other things that underpin our constitutional order. We want to assure the world that Kenya will have free, fair and verifiable elections next year,” he said.

The Deputy President spoke on Wednesday while co-chairing the 15th Development Partnership Forum at the Official Residence in Karen, Nairobi. The forum brings together the Government and development partners to discuss the country’s development priorities.

“The election will be held on schedule and will be fair and without any shortcuts because we pride ourselves as a democratic nation that believes in the rule of law, democracy, human rights and holding periodic elections,” Prof Kindiki said.

His remarks come amid heightened focus on preparations for the 2027 General Election, including the credibility of the electoral process and the role of institutions involved in conducting the polls. Recent statements by senior government officials have similarly stressed the need for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to carry out its constitutional mandate independently.

Prof Kindiki invited development partners interested in supporting electoral and democracy-related programmes to participate through established channels.

“There will be no compromise on the credibility of the election. I invite the development partners who would wish to engage in the space of democracy and elections to do so using formal procedures and channels either by supporting the referee—which is an independent body—or supporting the vibrant civil society or as election observers,” he said.

He further maintained that Kenyans would continue to enjoy constitutional freedoms ahead of the elections, describing the country as a vibrant democracy with space for political and public debate.

“Kenya is a very vibrant democracy. We take a lot of pride in our democratic credentials. Looking around the traditional and social media, Kenya is a place for open and democratic engagement,” he said.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who also attended the forum, said the Government would maintain the country’s tradition of holding elections in accordance with the Constitution.

“We have had a tradition of ensuring our elections are held on schedule. We do not intend to breach the tradition we have already established. We will have elections on schedule and will be constitutional,” Mr Mudavadi said.

The Government has in recent days made similar assurances on the conduct of the 2027 polls, with Mr Mudavadi calling for respect for the independence of the electoral commission and other institutions involved in the electoral process.

Prof Kindiki also urged development partners to support preparations for forecast El Niño rains expected from October, saying the Government had activated a multi-agency response mechanism.

He called on partners to consider redirecting some resources towards humanitarian preparedness and resilience programmes to reduce potential losses and damage from heavy rains.

“I call upon the development partners to see whether they can re-programme some of their resources around humanitarian and resilience programmes to help us converge efforts on preparations to mitigate loss and damage,” he said.

The call comes as the Government steps up preparations for the October-November-December rainy season, with development and humanitarian partners expected to support preparedness and response measures.

The 15th Development Partnership Forum focused on youth and development, with the Government urging partners to support programmes aimed at expanding employment, entrepreneurship, skills development, access to finance and participation in the digital economy.

“We must ensure that our development partnerships translate into tangible opportunities for young Kenyans through employment, entrepreneurship, skills development, access to finance, innovation and participation in the digital economy,” Prof Kindiki said.

He cited programmes including the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA), Kenya Jobs and Economic Transformation (KJET), Kazi Kwa Ground, Kazi Mtandaoni and Kazi Majuu as part of the Government’s efforts to expand opportunities for young people.

“We are advancing an employment strategy designed to equip young people with relevant skills, expand access to jobs and enterprise opportunities, and position them to participate meaningfully in Kenya’s economic transformation,” he said.

The forum was attended by United Nations Resident Coordinator Garry Conille, German Ambassador to Kenya Sebastian Groth, Mr Mudavadi, Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, representatives of international and humanitarian agencies and officials from independent offices and commissions.