People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has criticised the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for banning mobile phones in polling stations, saying the move exceeds its legal mandate.
Speaking on Radio Generation on Friday, Karua argued that election laws only govern what happens inside the voting booth, where ballot secrecy must be protected. She said extending the ban across the entire polling centre misreads the law.
“Voters can carry phones, provided they don’t photograph marked ballots inside the booth. Agents near voting areas can spot any attempts,” she said.
Karua also downplayed claims that phones are widely used for bribery, noting that only a small fraction of voters misuse them.
She urged IEBC to enforce existing laws rather than impose new rules. “The Commission cannot make the law. It can only apply it,” she said.
Her remarks follow the electoral body’s enforcement of the phone ban during by-elections on February 26, 2026, in Isiolo South, West Kabras, Muminji, and Evurore wards. IEBC cited past incidents where voters shared images of marked ballots online, stressing that such acts undermine ballot secrecy and constitute electoral offences under the Elections Act, 2011.
Karua called for proper conduct by security officers at polling stations, warning that police must not intimidate voters or allow unauthorised persons into voting areas.
 leader Martha Karua has criticised the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for banning mobile phones in polling stations, saying the move exceeds its legal mandate.){kind=link}