Old voters listed before 2012 must register afresh ahead of 2027 polls, IEBC says

IEBC chair nominee Erastus Edung before the National Assembly JLAC committee on May 31, 2025./FILE

Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon has said that Kenyans who registered as voters before 2012 must register afresh.

This is to ensure they are included in the current biometric Register of Voters (RoV) as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) continues its nationwide Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR) exercise.

In a status update issued on Thursday, April 2, 2026, the chairperson clarified that the current biometric register came into operation in 2012 following key electoral reforms. These included the promulgation of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, the enactment of the Elections Act, and the introduction of biometric voter registration.

“Consequently, individuals who had previously enrolled as voters before 2012 are not part of the current biometric RoV unless they subsequently presented themselves for fresh registration,” the chairperson said.

He added that such individuals “are, therefore, required to register afresh in order to be included in the current biometric register.”

The clarification comes as the Commission pushes ahead with the ECVR exercise, which was rolled out on March 30, 2026 and will run for 30 days across the country.

The exercise is being conducted in all 1,450 County Assembly Wards, institutions of higher learning, Huduma Centres, the Customer Experience Centre at Anniversary Towers, and constituency offices.

The nationwide drive is part of preparations for the 2027 General Election, with the Commission targeting to enlist 2.5 million new voters into the register.

According to the update, a total of 344,316 new voters had been registered as of Thursday, April 2. The Commission also recorded 18,610 voter transfers and 329 requests for change or update of particulars.

The chairperson noted that the ongoing exercise builds on earlier constituency-based registration conducted in September 2025, which had recorded 273,498 registrations by the time the ECVR was launched.

The Commission reiterated that voter registration during this period is taking place daily, including weekends and public holidays, urging Kenyans to take advantage of the remaining time before the exercise closes on April 28, 2026.

“Please note that only 25 days remain as this ECVR will close on April 28, 2026. You are reminded that there will be no extension. Thereafter, registration will revert to the constituency offices. Therefore, the time to register is now. Please go out and register,” the chairperson said.

The IEBC also clarified procedures around voter transfers and updates. Voters seeking to transfer must present themselves to the registration officer in the constituency they wish to move to and submit their biometrics afresh, in line with the law.

This, the Commission said, ensures proper verification and helps eliminate cases of unlawful mass voter transfers not authorised by voters.

At the same time, the Commission called on eligible Kenyans, particularly young people and first-time voters, to turn up in large numbers and register.

“Our primary mission during this window is simple ‘kuwakatia KADI’ (to ensure you get that voter’s card),” the chairperson said.

He emphasised that voter registration is both a civic duty and a key pillar of democratic governance, noting that the voter registration acknowledgement slip “represents more than proof of registration; it signifies a citizen’s commitment to participate in the democratic process and to hold leadership accountable.”

The Commission urged citizens to register early and mobilise others within their communities to take part in the exercise before the deadline.