The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has called on Kenyans who registered as voters before 2012 to undergo fresh registration, as preparations for the 2027 General Election gather momentum.
According to the commission, the current Register of Voters is based on a biometric system introduced ahead of the 2013 elections. As a result, individuals who enrolled before 2012 and did not update their details may not be captured in the present database.
IEBC officials say the move is aimed at ensuring all eligible voters are included in the modern system, which was designed to enhance accuracy, eliminate duplication, and improve the integrity of elections.
The directive comes as the commission rolls out a nationwide Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR) exercise that began on March 30 and is expected to run until April 28, 2026.
Early figures from the exercise indicate a strong response, with hundreds of thousands of new voters already registered within the first few days. The commission is targeting at least 2.5 million new registrations during the exercise.
Registration centres have been set up across the country, including in wards, constituency offices, universities, and Huduma Centres, to make the process accessible to as many eligible citizens as possible.
The announcement has drawn mixed reactions, with some Kenyans expressing concern over the status of long-time voters, while others have welcomed the move as necessary for maintaining a clean and credible voters’ register.
IEBC has urged all eligible citizens, particularly those who registered before 2012, to verify their registration status and take part in the ongoing exercise to avoid being left out of future elections.
