Today, Act Change Transform (Act!), in collaboration with the Embassy of Sweden in Nairobi, launched the Reformed Elections for Enhanced Democracy and Inclusion (REDI) Programme (2025โ2028). This programme addresses ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ป๐๐๐ถ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ธ๐ like misinformation and technology-facilitated violence. The launch fostered evidence-informed dialogue, coordination, and collective action for the 2027 elections, linking programme priorities with findings from Act!’s Electoral Conflict Risk Mapping and Assessment, Political Economy Analysis, and Public Perception Survey (JanuaryโMay 2026). This ensured ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ-๐ด๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ณ๐๐น ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐, strengthening stakeholder awareness and ownership with support from state actors and partners.
The launch gathered over 100 participants from public institutions, civil society, and development partners, including representatives from electoral bodies, government agencies, development partners (Embassies of Sweden, Denmark, and Japan), civil society, academia, media, youth, women, and persons with disabilities. This fostered a ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ณ๐๐น, ๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐, contributing to Kenya’s long-term democratic resilience.
The launch served as a strategic entry point to translate evidence into coordinated action, with stakeholders emphasizing ๐๐ป๐๐๐ถ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐, ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐๐น๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฎ๐. This included reaffirming government readiness for the next general elections, focusing on strengthening key institutions (such as IEBC and NCIC) to ensure free, fair, credible, and inclusive outcomes. It also highlighted Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration and Inclusive Governance, including cross-sector partnerships and an issue-based, service-focused agenda with development partners.
Marie Ottosson, Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of Sweden, reaffirmed Swedenโs commitment to supporting the REDI Programmeโs shift from theory to action, emphasising long-term engagement, collaboration and continuous learning with Act! and key stakeholders to advance peaceful, inclusive and resilient electoral processes in Kenya. As Kenya looks towards 2027, the time to act is now!
