Kenya General Election Dates; 1963 to 2032. Kenya’s next general election will be held on Tuesday 8 August 2027.
Previous general elections were held on;
- Tuesday 10 August 2032
- Tuesday 10 August 2027
- Tuesday 9 August 2022
- Tuesday 8 August 2017
- Monday 4 March 2013
- Thursday 27 December 2007
- Friday 27 December 2002
- Monday 29 December 1997
- Tuesday 29 December 1992
- Monday 21 March 1988
- Monday 26 September 1983
- Thursday 8 November 1979
- Monday 14 October 1974
- Saturday 6 December 1969
- 18 – 26 May 1963
The 2017 election date will be the first that is set so far out in advance. This is as a result of the constitution of Kenya (2010) which stipulates that the general election will be held on the second Tuesday in August in every fifth year.
¨101. (1) A general election of members of Parliament shall be held on the second Tuesday in August in every fifth year.
136. (2) An election of the President shall be held –– (a) on the same day as a general election of Members of Parliament, being the second Tuesday in August, in every fifth year;
177. (1) A county assembly consists of — (a) members elected by the registered voters of the wards, each ward constituting a single member constituency, on the same day as a general election of Members of Parliament, being the second Tuesday in August, in every fifth year;
180. (1) The county governor shall be directly elected by the voters registered in the county, on the same day as a general election of Members of Parliament, being the second Tuesday in August, in every fifth year.¨
Before the promulgation of the 2010 constitution, general election dates were largely determined by the incumbent president. The president announced the dissolution of parliament, the speaker of the national assembly declared the parliamentary positions vacant, and then the electoral commission, appointed by the president, announced the election date.
In September 2008 the Independent Review Commission (IREC) on the General Elections held in Kenya on 27 December 2007 (aka Kriegler Commission) had recommended that ¨the election date should be pre-set, taking into account all the required timelines for efficient conduct of the election.¨
In 2015 there have been two unsuccessful attempts, in the national assembly, to amend the constitution and move the election date from August to December 2017.
