Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale speaking in Samburu.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has accused opposition leaders of misinterpreting the law governing the livestreaming of election results.

Duale has since dismissed their claims that recent parliamentary amendments could undermine transparency ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Speaking in Naibor Keju, Samburu County on Sunday where he led a women’s resource mobilisation drive aimed at strengthening grassroots economic empowerment, Duale weighed in on the growing political debate over the Elections (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2024, which has sparked a fresh dispute between government leaders and the opposition over the transparency of the electoral process ahead of next year’s polls.

Duale said the opposition lacked a proper understanding of the legal provisions, insisting that Parliament had retained the existing Section 39 of the Elections Act, which provides for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to establish a mechanism for livestreaming results announced at polling stations.

“They do not even know how to interpret the law. I served as the Majority Leader for eight and a half years, and I understand the law on live streaming very well,” Duale said.

He defended the National Assembly’s decision to retain Section 39, arguing that the legal framework governing the transmission and declaration of election results remained intact.

“The provision on live streaming, which Kalonzo Musyoka, Justin Muturi, Eugene Wamalwa and Mithika Linturi went to court seeking to have removed, was upheld by the court, which affirmed the constitutionality of Section 39. What the National Assembly has done is retain Section 39,” he said.

Duale maintained that the law provides for results to be livestreamed from polling stations for public information, with the electoral process proceeding through the constituency and county levels to the national tallying centre at Bomas of Kenya.

He further argued that the IEBC chairman was the only returning officer recognised by law at the national tallying centre, emphasising the commission’s statutory role in the final declaration of presidential election results.

The CS’s remarks came amid heightened political tensions over proposed changes to the Elections Act, with opposition leaders and other critics warning that any weakening of the legal requirement for livestreaming could undermine public scrutiny and confidence in the electoral process.

The controversy followed the Senate’s consideration of the Elections (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2024, which initially proposed replacing Section 39 with a revised provision governing the determination, transmission and declaration of election results.

Critics raised concerns that the proposed wording did not expressly retain the requirement for the IEBC to establish a mechanism for livestreaming results as they were announced at polling stations.

Among those who expressed concern were Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi and former Law Society of Kenya president Faith Odhiambo, who argued that electronic transmission of results and livestreaming of their announcement served different purposes.

They maintained that transmitting results electronically to election officials was not the same as allowing citizens, political parties, journalists and observers to watch the announcement of results in real time.

The critics called for clear safeguards to ensure that the public could follow the process through which votes cast at polling stations were converted into the final results declared by the electoral commission.

However, the National Assembly subsequently deleted Clause 22, which sought to replace Section 39, saying the move preserved the existing legal provisions, including subsection 1G requiring the IEBC to establish a livestreaming mechanism.

The House said the decision followed public participation and consideration of a High Court judgment delivered on September 22, 2026, which upheld the constitutionality of Section 39 and Regulation 83(2) of the Elections (General) Regulations.

The Bill, having been passed by the National Assembly with amendments on October 22, is expected to return to the Senate for consideration of the changes in accordance with Article 110(4) of the Constitution. The legislative process is therefore not yet complete.

President William Ruto on Sunday also moved to reassure Kenyans that the government had no intention of blocking access to election results, dismissing claims that livestreaming had been banned.

Speaking during a church service at AIC Kasina in Mwingi, Kitui County, Ruto accused opposition leaders of spreading propaganda and misleading young people over the proposed changes to the election law.

The President insisted that Kenyans had a right to access election information promptly and urged political leaders to focus on addressing the challenges facing young people, including unemployment, education and access to business opportunities, rather than exploiting them for political gain.

The government’s position has been that the National Assembly’s amendments preserved the existing livestreaming requirement, although critics continue to call for clarity and firm implementation safeguards ahead of the 2027 elections.

Beyond the debate on electoral reforms, Duale launched a scathing attack on opposition figures whom he accused of harbouring presidential ambitions without the political experience, organisational capacity and resources required to lead the country.

He cited the political journeys of Kenya’s past and present presidents, arguing that attaining the country’s highest office required years of political engagement, experience and gradual progression through leadership positions.

Duale pointed to the late President Daniel arap Moi, who served as Vice President for more than two decades before becoming Head of State, and former President Mwai Kibaki, who rose from opposition leadership to ministerial positions and the vice presidency before winning the presidency.

He also cited former President Uhuru Kenyatta, who lost his first presidential contest before eventually becoming Head of State, and President Ruto, who began his political career as a Member of Parliament, served in ministerial positions and spent a decade as Deputy President before ascending to the presidency.

Using the examples, Duale questioned the prospects of Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, who has been associated with presidential ambitions.

“Now, there is a person called Edwin Sifuna who is deceiving himself into believing that he can become President after serving for only one term as a senator,” he said.

The CS also questioned Sifuna’s financial capacity and ability to mobilise political support, claiming that he would struggle to raise substantial contributions at a fundraiser or organise a retreat for fellow leaders.

Duale also took aim at Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, accusing him of turning against the President after benefiting from political support.

“There is another person called Ndindi Nyoro, who is also a tribalist. We gave him a small wheelbarrow, but he forgot that it belonged to us and started abusing the President. I want to warn him that if he continues joking around, we will withdraw the wheelbarrow,” he said.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale addressing residents of Samburu.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale with other Samburu leaders.

Samburu Governor Lati Lelit.