Nairobi — The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has cautioned media houses and online content creators against publishing or conducting non-scientific opinion polls to influence voting in 22 by-elections slated for on Thursday, November 27, 2025.

MCK Chief Executive Officer David flagged what he termed as "voodoo polls" on social media, talk shows and call-in programs, saying they are presenting a serious threat to responsible election reporting.

The advisory comes as political violence and political intolerance has been witnessed as campaigns intensified in Mbeere North, Malava, Kasipul and Chwele-Kabuchai.

According to MCK, instant polls, often conducted through quick prompts, live comments, on platforms such as X, Youtube, Tiktok, Instagram and spontaneous studio interactions, should adhere to the legal threshold required for electoral opinion research.

"A person shall not publish the results of any electoral opinion poll on the day of the election or during the period of five days immediately preceding the date of the election," MCK said while citing provisions of the Elections Act.

The Media Council has further opined that it is misleading for journalists and media outlets to conduct opinion polls and publish results on their social media platforms.

"Journalists and media organisations are therefore urged to desist from any practices that would place them in breach of the law, professional ethical standards, or their own in-house editorial policies," the statement reads.