Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has warned that Kenya cannot afford another crisis sparked by mistrust in its electoral system, urging the newly sworn-in Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to operate with complete transparency.

“We cannot play games around the IEBC,” Matiang’i said in an interview with K24 on Sunday evening. “We got into problems in 2007 because people lacked confidence in the electoral commission and the courts.”

His remarks follow the formal swearing-in of IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon and six commissioners on Friday, an event presided over by Chief Justice Martha Koome at the Supreme Court. The appointments have drawn sharp scrutiny from the opposition, which has accused the administration of stacking the commission in its favour ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Matiang’i stopped short of criticising the new officials directly but underscored the gravity of their task.

“They must first know that there can be no peace in Kenya if people think there is foul play around the IEBC,” he said. “They are Kenyans. They know where we’ve come from.”

He warned that public suspicion alone is enough to provoke instability. “We cannot lack faith in the IEBC, the courts, or other state agencies and still expect peace,” he said. “Any doubt will be a recipe for chaos.”

The former minister also hinted at a renewed role for himself and his allies in opposition, saying they would be watching closely. “We’ll observe how they discharge their mandate. If the games we hear about begin, then there will be a problem,” he said.

His comments echo a growing chorus of concern among opposition leaders. Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has also expressed deep scepticism about the newly reconstituted commission.

Calling the team a “handpicked commission,” Kalonzo warned against any manipulation of the electoral process.

“To the new IEBC, please do not try Kenyans,” he wrote on social media. “Already, the irregularities are far too many. Any attempt to tamper with the electoral process will be met with unrelenting resistance.”

He added bluntly: “The will of the people is not negotiable.”

The IEBC, long a flashpoint in Kenyan politics, has often been criticised for failing to deliver credible results. The disputed 2007 election, in particular, triggered weeks of post-election violence that left more than 1,000 people dead and displaced hundreds of thousands.

This year, the swearing-in of the new commission came only after a court lifted an interim order blocking the appointments. Civil society groups and political activists had challenged the process, raising questions about transparency and political interference.

Chief Justice Koome, in her address during the ceremony, urged the new team to live up to their title: “Let the first word in your name—Independent—be your constant guide.”

With less than two years to the next general election, the pressure is already mounting. Kenya’s political temperature is rising, and as Matiang’i put it, “The best thing that can happen to this country is a free, fair, and transparent election.”