The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has issued a strong caution to media houses, journalists, and digital content creators to stop conducting or publishing unauthorised election-related opinion polls ahead of Thursday’s by-elections. The Council noted that these polls lack the necessary scientific standards and violate Kenyan election laws governing the publication of opinion survey results.
In its statement, MCK stressed that opinion polls must meet strict methodological requirements and should not be published within a restricted period before an election. According to the Council, polls circulated through live broadcasts, call-in shows, SMS interactions, and social media platforms often misrepresent public sentiment because they do not follow professional sampling procedures.
“Conducting or publishing unscientific and unauthorised election-related opinion polls is illegal and must stop immediately ahead of the by-elections,” MCK said.
The Council referenced its Election Reporting Guidelines, which instruct journalists to avoid presenting instant public reactions as representative opinion. Vox-pop interviews and spur-of-the-moment social media surveys, the Council added, that they are not considered scientific and should not be framed as accurate indicators of voter preference.
MCK also highlighted the broader concern of rising misinformation and cautioned that misleading polls can unfairly influence public perception. The agency urged media practitioners to uphold the highest levels of accuracy, professionalism, and integrity during the election period.
“Journalists and media organisations are urged to desist from practices that place them in breach of the law, professional ethical standards, or their own editorial policies,” the Council stated.
With several constituencies and wards set to hold by-elections on Thursday, MCK’s advisory aims to protect the credibility of election coverage and prevent distortion of the democratic process. The Council appealed to all media actors to comply with legal provisions governing opinion polls and to prioritise factual, responsible reporting as Kenyans head to the polls.
