Women Leaders Call for Peace and Protection Ahead of Kenya’s 2027 Elections
By Peace Muthoka
NAIROBI, Kenya, October 29, 2026 — Echo Network Africa Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Dr Jennifer Riria and women leaders have called for urgent action to end political violence and gender-based harassment, warning that attacks and intimidation against women threaten peaceful and inclusive elections in 2027.
In a joint statement issued in Nairobi on Thursday, Riria, through ENAF, joined Democracy Trust Fund members, women peace actors, women leaders and political aspirants in urging security agencies and electoral institutions to protect political participants and ensure women can seek elective office without fear. ENAF was formerly known as Kenya Women Holding.
The statement raised concern over reported attacks against women leaders in several counties, including Dr July Nyamso in Kisii and Woman Representative aspirant Linda Ogweno, who reportedly faced attacks during a gathering in Nyamasaria, Kisumu County, on October 20. It also cited political confrontations in Meru, derogatory rhetoric in Baringo, and disrupted political gatherings and online harassment in Nairobi and Homa Bay.
The organisations cited figures from the 2022 electoral cycle showing that 3,746 cases of election-related sexual and gender-based violence were documented. Verbal abuse and hate speech accounted for 54 per cent of the incidents, while cyberbullying represented 23 per cent. They called on the National Police Service, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the National Cohesion and Integration Commission and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to strengthen security, investigate reported cases promptly and enforce the law.
“Safeguarding women in politics is a shared national responsibility and a fundamental requirement for peaceful, credible, and inclusive elections in 2027,” the statement said, rejecting the normalisation of political violence, intimidation and gender-based harassment during electoral competition.
Beyond the safety of women and young people, the groups urged Parliament and the Senate to ensure proposed electoral reforms strengthen transparency, accountability and access to justice. They raised concerns about changes to oversight of political party primaries, the handling of electoral disputes and the need to preserve public access to voter registration and the live transmission of election results.
The statement noted that the Elections (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2024, was passed by the National Assembly on October 22, 2026, and referred to the Senate. The organisations called for safeguards to ensure candidates, particularly those with limited resources, can access fair nomination processes and effective mechanisms for resolving disputes.
The high cost of political campaigns was also identified as a barrier to women, young people and candidates from marginalised communities. The groups called on the IEBC, Parliament and relevant judicial institutions to resolve outstanding legal issues affecting the implementation of the Election Campaign Financing Regulations, 2026, and establish clear, enforceable spending limits ahead of the polls.
The organisations stressed that peaceful elections require more than transparent voting and counting. They said citizens must be able to campaign, attend political meetings and express their views without threats or violence, urging political actors and public institutions to make the protection of women and young people a priority throughout the electoral period.
The joint statement was issued by Democracy Trust Fund members, women peace actors and women leaders from across Kenya in partnership with the Democracy Trust Fund and Echo Network Africa Foundation. The groups called for collective action to prevent violence, protect women’s political participation and promote a peaceful, credible and inclusive 2027 General Election.
