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IEBC Requires Pre-2012 Voters to Re-Register Ahead of 2027 Poll
Why Some Voters Must Register Again
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has directed Kenyans who registered as voters before 2012 to register afresh or risk missing out on the 2027 General Election.
According to IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon, these voters are not captured in the current biometric Register of Voters (RoV).
He explained that Kenya introduced biometric voter registration after the 2012 electoral reforms. As a result, only those who registered afresh after the reforms appear in the current system.
“Individuals who enrolled as voters before 2012 are not part of the current biometric register unless they registered again,” he said.
Mass Registration Drive Underway
Meanwhile, the commission has intensified a nationwide voter registration exercise ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR) drive began on March 30 and will run until April 28. It covers all 1,450 County Assembly Wards, Huduma Centres, institutions of higher learning, and constituency offices.
Through this exercise, the IEBC aims to register at least 2.5 million new voters.
Ethekon described the drive as a critical step in strengthening democratic participation across the country.
Steady Uptake Across the Country
So far, the exercise has recorded steady progress.
As of April 2, the commission had registered 344,316 new voters. In addition, it processed 18,610 voter transfers and 329 requests for updates of voter details.
These figures indicate growing participation as the deadline approaches.
Flexible Registration and Transfer Rules
To improve access, the IEBC now allows Kenyans to register from any location nationwide.
Through open kits, voters can select their preferred polling stations without travelling to their home counties.
However, the commission has maintained strict rules for voter transfers. Individuals must appear physically at constituency offices and submit their biometric data.
According to Ethekon, this requirement helps verify requests and prevents fraudulent mass transfers.
IEBC Requires Pre-2012 Voters to Re-Register Ahead of 2027 Poll
Call for Early Registration
At the same time, the IEBC has urged eligible Kenyans, especially youth and first-time voters, to register early.
The commission emphasised that it will not extend the April 28 deadline.
“Our primary mission during this window is simple — ‘kuwakatia KADI’,” Ethekon said, referring to the issuance of voter registration slips.
He added that voter registration is not just a requirement, but a civic duty that allows citizens to shape leadership and hold leaders accountable.
Areas Temporarily Affected
However, the exercise remains suspended in areas with ongoing by-elections or election petitions.
These include Porro and Endo wards, as well as Emurua Dikirr, Ol Kalou, Malava, and Mbeere North constituencies.
Despite this, the commission continues to encourage nationwide participation. It has also called on Kenyans to mobilise their communities to register.
“Together, let us strengthen our democracy through active and inclusive participation,” Ethekon said.
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