IEBC Commissioner Dr Ann Nderitu is calling on political parties to field more women, young people and persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the 2027 General Election.
Nderitu says women make up more than half of Kenya’s population but remain significantly underrepresented in political leadership. She has urged parties to voluntarily increase the number of women candidates rather than waiting for legal pressure.
She also pointed to Kenya’s young population, noting that more than 70% of Kenyans are below 35, and challenged political parties to give young people meaningful opportunities to contest elective positions.
On gender representation, Nderitu said parties should comply with the two-thirds gender principle when submitting their candidate lists. She also encouraged parties to nominate PWDs across different levels of government, including county assemblies and Parliament.
The call comes as political parties begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election, with representation expected to remain a major issue during party nominations.
