Nairobi tops voter registration as IEBC hits 1.8 million new enrolments

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has announced that nearly two million new voters have been registered in the ongoing Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR) exercise, with Nairobi County leading the country after surpassing the 200,000 mark.

In a statement, the commission said that as of April 23, 2026, a total of 1,876,274 new voters had been registered since the exercise began on March 30.

"Therefore, since the last update of April 17, 2026, the commission has recorded an increase of 505,344 new voters," the commission said.

According to data by the agency, Nairobi County recorded the highest number of new registrations at 209,965, placing the capital well ahead of other counties.

Kiambu followed with 97,557 new voters, while Nakuru recorded 81,166. Kakamega closely trailed with 80,711 registrations.

However, the IEBC noted disparities across the country, with several counties lagging behind.

Lamu recorded 8,345 new voters, Isiolo 9,291, Nyandarua 16,604, Tana River 17,015, and Samburu 17,361, highlighting uneven participation levels as the deadline approaches.

Beyond new registrations, the Commission reported 159,410 voter transfers and 2,817 updates of voter particulars, as Kenyans adjusted their registration details to reflect current residence and personal information.

The IEBC has urged eligible citizens who have not yet registered to take advantage of the remaining days before the April 28 deadline.

“As the ECVR draws to a close, we urge all eligible voters who have not yet registered to seize this opportunity to enlist,” the Commission said.

The electoral body emphasised that voter registration is central to the exercise of political rights under Article 38 of the constitution, including the right to vote and participate in democratic processes.

“By doing so, citizens play a direct role in shaping Kenya’s future and strengthening our democratic governance,” the statement added.

The commission also outlined the rigorous process involved in compiling the Register of Voters to ensure its credibility.

This includes in-person verification of identity, capture of biometric data such as fingerprints, facial images, and iris scans, and secure transmission to a centralised database.

The data is then subjected to automated biometric deduplication to identify duplicate or conflicting records, followed by validation and adjudication.

Only verified entries are included in the provisional register, which will be opened for 30 days of public verification to allow voters to confirm their details and raise objections where necessary.

An independent audit will subsequently be conducted to assess the register’s accuracy and integrity before final certification and publication in the Kenya Gazette.

IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon called on stakeholders to safeguard the integrity of the process, warning against misinformation, coercion, or interference.

“The integrity, credibility, and sustainability of the electoral system are matters of collective national responsibility,” he said.

The Commission further clarified that voter registration is currently suspended in areas with ongoing by-elections or election petitions.

They include Porro Ward, Endo Ward, Emurua Dikirr Constituency, Ol Kalou Constituency, Malava Constituency, and Mbeere North Constituency.