IEBC Reveals Process Of Voting In November 27 By-Elections
Only voters who present the national ID or the passport they used during registration will be allowed to participate.
Marvin Chege 
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has released the voting guidelines for the November 27 by-elections.
In its Wednesday, November 19 notice, the commission said polling stations will open at 6:00 am and close at 5:00 pm.
Only voters who present the national ID or the passport they used during registration will be allowed to participate. These documents will be checked by returning officers using the KIEMS kit at the entrance of each polling centre.
After verification, voters will head to the booth to mark their ballots privately, then drop them into the appropriate ballot box. To wrap up the process, each voter will have a finger marked to curb repeat voting.
IEBC officials during a past voter registration exercise. /REUTERS
Baringo will be the only county voting at the county level as it seeks to fill the Senate seat left vacant after the death of William Cheptumo on February 16, 2025. Former senator Gideon Moi initially announced a comeback bid but later stepped aside for UDA’s Kiprono Cherubet, who has the backing of President William Ruto.
Kasipul, Malava and Banissa will pick new MPs after the deaths of Ong’ondo Were, Malulu Injendi and Kullow Maalim Hassan.
Ugunja and Mbeere North will elect replacements for Opiyo Wandayi and Geoffrey Ruku, who joined the Cabinet as Energy and Public Service Cabinet Secretaries (CSs). A fresh vote will also be held in Magarini after the 2022 election was thrown out by the Supreme Court.
17 wards will also head to the polls. These include Kabuchai Chwele in Bungoma, Chewani in Tana River, Fafi in Garissa, Mumbuni North in Machakos, and Lake Zone and Nanaam in Turkana.
Other areas voting for new MCAs are Angata Nanyokie in Samburu; Tembelio in Uasin Gishu; Metkei in Elgeyo Marakwet; Chemudu Kapng’etuny in Nandi; and Narok Town in Narok County.
Purko in Kajiado, Kisa East in Kakamega, Kariobangi North in Nairobi, and Nyamaiya, Nyansiongo, and Ekerenyo in Nyamira County will also hold ward elections.
It is worth noting that an earlier announcement by the IEBC confirmed that there would be no contest for the MCA seats in Tembelio and Metkei Wards in the November 27, 2025, by-elections.
In a Gazette Notice issued on October 29, 2025, IEBC chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon stated that UDA’s Reuben Kigen Tobosei for Tembelio Ward in Uasin Gishu County and Philip Kipkosgei Kiprutto for Metkei Ward in Elgeyo Marakwet County had been declared elected without opposition.
The gazette indicated that Tobosei will serve the Moiben constituency (code 143) under Tembelio Ward (CAW code 0714), while Kiprutto will serve the Keiyo South constituency (code 150) under Metkei Ward (CAW code 0750). Both represent the United Democratic Alliance, party code 015.
In a statement on Saturday, November 1, the United Democratic Alliance celebrated the outcome, saying, "The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has officially declared a no contest for Members of the County Assembly for Tembelio and Metkei Wards in the upcoming by-elections scheduled for 27th November 2025."
The party added that its candidates being declared elected unopposed signalled a major early success ahead of the larger set of by-elections slated for later in the month.
