IEBC, Interior Ministry in spotlight over alleged ID, voter enrolment scheme

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) The Ministry of Interior and National Administration through the National Registration Bureau (NRB) have been accused of selective voter and identity card registration to pro government regions such as Rift Valley, North Eastern parts of Coast and along the Kenyan borders.

Sources from both the IEBC and the NRB have disclosed that the officers from the three institutions have established a squad which involves the ID registration officers, the Deputy County Commissioners (DCCs) and the Constituency Returning Officers (ROs) whose job is to facilitate the Kenya Integrated Election Management System (KIEMS) kit.

The Kiems kit is a biometric voter registration system that is used to electronically capture voters’ facial images, fingerprints and civil data once the IDs cards are issued.

The National Registration Bureau (NRB), now headed by retired Nairobi Regional Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo, whose portfolio falls under the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services, is responsible for identifying, registering and issuing national identity cards to Kenyan citizens aged 18 and above.

The IEBC, supposedly an independent organ, on the other hand, handles voter registration at the command of the provincial administration team. Kenyan law provides that a citizen aged 18 or above can register as a voter using a national identity card or Kenyan passport.

 In what could lead to concerns of premature or irregular registration drives and data transparency, since the voter enlisting could be happening outside the officially gazetted periods, the sources maintain the exercise also raises fairness and verifiability concerns and the ability by the IEBC to inspire confidence to Kenyans ahead of next year’s general election.

“Persons are being registered as ID card holders and then enlisted as voters by the IEBC officials who are working together with those from the Ministry of Interior in areas perceived to support President William Ruto’s administration or his so-called strongholds,” a source said.

The source added, ‘ID card issuance is also happening across Kenyan borders such as Endebess Sub-county in Trans Nzoia County, Busia County and in Mandera where foreigners from Uganda, Ethiopia and Somalia are being targeted.

Another source intimated that the exercise of enhanced ID and voter enlisting in selective regions started in April after Ruto expressed deep disappointment over voter apathy and low ID registration rates within his Rift Valley stronghold and the Kalenjin community.

According to the President's remarks, approximately 500,000 youths in the region lacked identity cards, while another 1.8 million eligible ID holders had not enlisted as voters.

It was then that the President’s handlers formed a unit and approached a section of the IEBC officials who would facilitate the biometric gadgets in areas perceived as Ruto’s strongholds.

An IEBC official who talked to The Standard on condition of anonymity said: ‘The ongoing registration is illegal since it has not been gazetted; the commission should also be working independently, but it now seems to be receiving orders from the Ministry of Interior, which is against the Constitution.”

Separately, Opposition officials led by Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Democratic Party (DP) leader Justin Muturi and a section of Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) have raised alarm and called for investigations into the matter.

According to Kalonzo, a section of Ugandans was being issued with Kenyan identification documents ahead of the 2027 general election.

 He urged the IEBC to investigate the claims, linking the alleged registration of Ugandans to Ruto’s political calculations ahead of the 2027 election.

“IEBC, nataka mchunguze swala hili. Ikiwa IEBC imetoka Kenya, ikavuka mpaka upande wa Chwele, inaanza kupatia Waganda wengine ID, tunataka tujue,” Kalonzo said.

The Wiper leader questioned whether the alleged move was intended to increase support for Ruto in the 2027 election.

“Ruto amefanya hesabu, hesabu haingiani. Anarukia Waganda aswa wamsaidie,” he said.

 Dr Peter Mbae, the Secretary for Planning and Economic Affairs at DCP alleged that in counties such as Nakuru, where he will be vying for Senate, the voter registration was happening in Kuresoi North, Kuresoi South, Ronga and Njoro Constituencies, accusing the electoral commission of partiality and bias towards the government.

“The biggest impediment to a peaceful election next year is actually people we have entrusted with our taxes to do exactly that because they are falling prey to manipulation by the executive,” Mbae said.

On January this year, the former Attorney General Justin Muturi claimed officers from NRB and IEBC met over a broader scheme to manipulate voter data, where Ruto was allegedly planning to use the national ID data of young people to influence the outcome of the 2027 General Election.

He further claimed that such actions could enable the use of improperly obtained identification records to interfere with electoral outcomes, accusations that IEBC firmly denied while reiterating its commitment to transparency and electoral integrity.

The IEBC dismissed claims, reaffirming that all data handling processes are lawful, secure, and strictly guided by the Constitution and electoral laws.

The Commission responded to allegations raised by Muturi, clarifying that its collaboration with state agencies is routine and necessary for accurate voter registration and verification.

IEBC cited Article 88 (4) of the Constitution and Sections 4 and 6 of the Elections Act, 2011, stating that it is mandated to maintain an accurate and up-to-date voter register while operating independently, free from external control.

The Commission explained that its engagement with government agencies is aimed at verifying identity details and removing deceased persons from the voter register.

 “In fulfilling this constitutional and statutory mandate, the Commission is required to work with relevant government agencies that are the lawful custodians of lawful and relevant data to the execution of its mandate,” the IEBC statement read in part.

IEBC then listed the National Registration Bureau, Civil Registration Services, and the Directorate of Immigration Services to confirm passport details, particularly for Kenyans living abroad who are eligible to register as voters.

 The electoral body emphasised that data-sharing arrangements with both public and private institutions are conducted within strict legal frameworks to ensure identity verification, compliance, and fraud prevention.

The Commission reassured Kenyans that the voter register remains under its exclusive custody and control, with personal data safeguarded in compliance with the Constitution, the Elections Act, and the Data Protection Act, 2019.

IEBC also urged political actors to refrain from making unverified and inflammatory statements that could undermine public confidence in electoral processes and the institution’s independence.

There have previously been concerns over the unlawful issuance of Kenyan identity cards to foreign nationals.

At the beginning of this year, the DCI said nine people, including five NRB officers, two brokers and two foreign nationals, had been arrested over an alleged scheme involving the unlawful issuance of national identity cards and other government documents.

The DCI said investigators recovered several documents, including Ugandan ID cards, during the operation in Zimmerman.

The NRB officers charged in the scheme were Titus Muasya Nthenge, Judy Kemto, Festus Bahat Chai, Moses Mogaya, and Ruth Osebe, whose arrests followed weeks of investigations by detectives.

They were arraigned alongside brokers Yahya Daudi and Abdikadir Mohamed Dahir, who allegedly acted as intermediaries in securing the fraudulent acquisition of identity cards for unqualified applicants.

“Also arrested were two foreigners: a Burundian national, Mauris Havyarimana, and a Rwandan national, Victor Kamanda. During a raid conducted in Zimmerman, detectives recovered 19 stamps from various government agencies, three driving licences, each bearing different licence numbers but all belonging to Kamanda, Ugandan ID cards, a Democratic Republic of Congo voter's card and several other incriminating items believed to have been used in the illegal operation,” DCI said.

The suspects were presented before the Kahawa Law Courts by Transnational Organised Crime Unit (TOCU) detectives, where they pleaded not guilty. The court granted each of the accused persons a bond of Sh500,000 or an alternative cash bail of Sh50,000, with one contact person.