Only 20,000 new voters registered

The race for the 2027 General Election is on. Continuous voter registration has begun — as has mass registration for national identity cards — and already, allegations are emerging.

By Friday this week, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had registered 20,754 new voters in its ongoing continuous voter registration exercise, even as Opposition leaders alleged voter suppression in perceived strongholds.

According to IEBC statistics, Nairobi region leads with 4,804 new voters, followed by Mt Kenya and diaspora counties with 4,106, while Western region is third with 2,037 new registrations. These figures cover two weeks of registration in 266 constituencies. There are also by-elections in 24 electoral areas.

As of October 8, 2025, a total of 3,207 transfers and 61 updates had been recorded nationwide, with Nairobi County leading, followed by Mombasa (1,379), while Nyamira registered the lowest turnout at just 18 new voters.

Alongside Nairobi and Mombasa, other top-performing counties include Kiambu (1,203), Machakos (923) and Nakuru (840). Counties such as Lamu (36), Tana River (42) and Turkana (148) recorded some of the lowest numbers during the first two weeks of the drive.

North Eastern counties performed relatively well, recording 1,387 new registrations, with Wajir registering 460, Mandera 441, Garissa 263, Marsabit 142 and Isiolo 81. Some counties perceived as voter-rich — such as Nyeri (244) and Kirinyaga (233) — registered lower numbers.

The Coastal region recorded 2,573 new voters, with Mombasa (1,379), Kwale (242), Kilifi (673), Tana River (42), Lamu (36) and Taita Taveta (201).

In the Rift Valley — considered President William Ruto’s political stronghold — the region registered 1,362 new voters, with Uasin Gishu recording 341, Elgeyo Marakwet 75, Nandi 244, West Pokot 159, Kericho 195, Bomet 200 and Turkana 148.

During the same period, Nyanza — an ODM stronghold — recorded only 1,320 new registrations: Siaya (564), Kisumu (376), Homa Bay (156) and Migori (224). The Gusii region registered 746 new applications.

In Ukambani, comprising Machakos, Makueni and Kitui, there were 2,573 new registrations — 923, 302 and 666 respectively — while in Maa-speaking counties, Samburu (67), Narok (174) and Kajiado collectively registered 528 new voters.

Low turnout

IEBC chairperson Erustus Ethekon noted that turnout was lower than expected and urged Kenyans, especially the youth, to register to ensure participation in the 2027 General Election.

“While we commend this progress, turnout among the targeted youth remains lower than expected. With a national target of 6.3 million new voters, the Commission urges all eligible Kenyans, particularly the youth, to take this opportunity to register and make their voices count,” Ethekon said in the statement.

The continuous voter registration exercise began on September 29.

Even as the IEBC continues its work, leading Opposition leaders claim low turnout stems from a scheme by the Kenya Kwanza administration to suppress voters. Other stakeholders blame inadequate voter education and limited mapping of IEBC offices at constituency level.

Kinyati Ng’ang’a, a civic educator from Kiambu, said IEBC’s decision to conduct registration only at constituency offices disadvantaged young, unemployed Kenyans who could not afford transport.

“Many do not even know where IEBC offices are located at the constituency level, and their geolocation isn’t available online. Combined with delays in issuing or replacing identity cards, this has greatly hindered registration. The IEBC should devolve registration to polling stations to attract more applicants,” he said.

There is growing frustration among prospective voters. Alice Waithira from Murang’a County applied for her identity card in April last year but has repeatedly been turned away every time she goes to check on its progress.

“I’m afraid I may not take part in voting for the 2027 general election, I keep hearing that the process to acquire an ID has been made easier but that has not been the case to me,” she said in a phone interview.

Foreigners

Former Principal Secretary Irungu Nyakera, now Nairobi coordinator for the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), claimed that foreigners had acquired Kenyan IDs and were being registered as voters.

“I’ve visited several Nairobi stations to observe the process. Clerks have  expressed concern over nationals from Burundi, Ethiopia and Uganda presenting Kenyan IDs to register as voters. The credibility of our voter register is the cornerstone of our democracy. Only duly verified Kenyan citizens should hold national IDs and register to vote.I urge IEBC clerks to whistle-blow on social media any irregularities observed. Upholding the integrity of our registration systems is essential to protecting the sovereignty and future of our country,” Nyakera said.

Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i echoed the concern, warning that registering non-citizens while people denying Identity Cards in the regions perceived to be anti-government was akin to setting the stage for anarchy. 

“Registering people, some of whom are not even Kenyan citizens getting identification cards and doing all manner of criminal monkeying that is going to affect our country is setting the stage for anarchy.

“I want to urge my brothers and sisters who are in government that there must come a time in the history and in the life of a public servant when you must think about your country more than the very basic issues of political expediency and political survival at that point in time,” he said.

Democratic Party leader and former Attorney General Justin Muturi said, ‘Goons from the neighbouring countries won’t help Ruto secure his re-election because Kenyans know each other. If visitors are encouraged to register as voters, it is the local citizens who will suffer. Services such as medical, schools will be affected as the visitors will vote and go back to their countries.”

The Opposition questioned why obtaining IDs seemed easier in border areas, while Kenyans elsewhere continued to face hurdles.

Uncollected IDs

Despite these concerns, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen insisted that the National Registration Bureau had expedited ID issuance through modernised systems.

 “We are working hard to ensure that many Kenyans who are not registered- first-time registrations and replacement- are going to happen in record time. We are going to roll out mobile registration programme in the pastoral areas, pastoralist areas in the northern part of the country, the northeastern part of the country, and some parts, of course, to ensure that those who have been left out for many years are now going to get their identity cards,” he said

Murkomen added that the government was also documenting foreign nationals for proper accountability.

“We are also registering the refugees to make sure that all who are in the country are properly registered, so that they can be properly accounted for, and can access services that are due to all the refugees in our country. It will also be easy for us to monitor and manage the refugees that are in our country,” he said.

Murkomen at the same time expressed concerns over uncollected identity cards and announced that chiefs would take the cards directly to the villages.

“There are 400,000 uncollected IDs which means around 270,000 or 80,000 are those who are replacing their IDs, and nearly 150,000 are those who are actually taking it for the first time,” he said.

“There are 400,000 uncollected IDs which means around 270,000 or 80,000 are those who are replacing their IDs, and nearly 150,000 are those who are actually taking it for the first time,” he said.