Battle for numbers: Inside IEBC's Gen Z voter registration plan

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) yesterday launched a 30-day mass voter registration drive, amid a popular youth-led campaign to enlist new voters.

The Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR) exercise will take place at 30,619 gazetted registration centres nationwide and 57 Huduma Centres.

Over the past two weeks, there has been a surge in interest among young people, particularly Gen Z, to register as voters, largely driven by the Niko Kadi initiative, which politicians have been accused of attempting to hijack.

Politicians from both the government and the opposition have embraced the Niko Kadi slogan, coined by activists to rally young people to register in preparation for next year’s General Election.

Yesterday, IEBC chairperson Erastus Ethekon said the new registration phase aims to enlist approximately 2.5 million new voters. He noted that the 30-day exercise will bring services closer to citizens by shifting registration from constituency offices to ward level and institutions of higher learning.

The exercise is estimated to cost more than Sh1 billion.

“The exercise targets to increase coverage by expanding enrolment, particularly for first-time registrants and youth, especially in under-registered or remote areas, and to enhance inclusivity and equity to facilitate broader participation among marginalised groups,” Ethekon said when he launched the exercise at Shimoni Fish Port in Kwale County.

12,000 clerks

In response to the high interest among young people, IEBC Vice-Chairperson Fahima Abdallah said the commission will deploy registration kits to universities and other institutions of higher learning.

“The Commission has taken this step to ensure it fulfils its constitutional mandate to give all Kenyans a chance. I urge all Kenyans to come out in large numbers to register.

Over Sh1 billion will be used for this nationwide exercise,” she said.

The commission has hired about 12,000 registration clerks to carry out the exercise. After the exercise, continuous voter registration will revert to constituency offices.

“At least 12,000 clerks are undertaking the exercise, so if each registers at least 10 people a day, then in 30 days we will have registered about 3.6 million people. I urge politicians and those intending to vie to avoid politicising the process. We are an independent body and serve all Kenyans. They should not mislead the public,” she said.

Transfer station

Registration kits at the 57 Huduma Centres will allow first-time applicants to choose a registration centre of their preference. Their details will then be captured and assigned to that centre, reducing the need to travel long distances to register.

According to the IEBC, each ward will have a minimum of three kits to ensure basic coverage, with additional kits deployed to constituencies where projected registration exceeds monthly capacity.

The commission will also collaborate with agencies such as the National Registration Bureau (NRB) to fast-track the issuance of national identity cards, a legal requirement for voter registration.

“Registration services will be available daily, including weekends. The exercise also allows registered voters to transfer their polling stations or update personal details at designated IEBC offices,” Ethekon said.

The commission has excluded areas with upcoming by-elections from the exercise, including Porro and Endo wards, Emurua Dikirr Constituency, as well as Malava and Mbeere North constituencies, where election petitions are ongoing. Registration will also not take place in Ol Kalou Constituency following the death of its MP, David Kiaraho, on Sunday.

Voters seeking to transfer their registration will be required to present themselves at IEBC offices in their preferred electoral areas, while those updating details must visit the offices where they are currently registered.

“Registration at Huduma Centres will continue after the ECVR period and may only be suspended by notice from the Commission. After the exercise, continuous voter registration will resume at constituency offices,” the IEBC said.

Former Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi urged Kenyans to register in large numbers while calling for a comprehensive audit of the voters’ register.

“In addition, the IEBC, the National Civil Registration Bureau and Immigration Services must work together to verify the details of all registered voters and their documentation,” Muturi said in a statement.

Unauthorised officers

He noted that an audit conducted before the 2022 General Election revealed 481,711 duplicate records and cases of voters registered using identity cards that did not belong to them.

The audit also identified 246,465 records of deceased voters and 164,269 registrations linked to invalid documents.

Further, the report revealed the existence of 14 unauthorised “digital” returning officers with the ability to manipulate the voters’ register, including transferring, deleting, inserting and updating records. One user reportedly had superuser access privileges.

KPMG also found that the 14 returning officers were not gazetted but operated alongside 290 IEBC constituency officials in previous elections.

Muturi, who is the Democratic Party leader, reminded the IEBC that the report indicated the digital register contained more than two million questionable entries.

These included voters registered using duplicate or fraudulent documents, as well as individuals registered more than once. Auditors also found that new voters were mysteriously added during the clean-up of the register.