IEBC: Kenyans have one month to verify details in the voter register

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has commenced the verification of the voter register, bringing a pause to voter registration that will resume on March 13 next year.

The verification exercise will begin today and continue for one month. This will give an opportunity to the public to confirm whether their details were captured correctly during registration.

IEBC will verify biometric data and particulars of registered voters in accordance with the law.

“A person who duly applied to be registered and his or her name or biometric data has not been captured correctly in the register of voters may make a claim to the Registration Officer within the period prescribed for verification,” said IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati in a Kenya Gazette Notice dated April 28.

The claim must be made through a prescribed form.

To check their details, Kenyans will be required to visit any IEBC office at the constituency level and present their identification cards or valid passport that was used to register as a voter.

The commission also targets people who want to change their polling station and Kenyans living in the diaspora.

“The IEBC gives notice that the application for new registration and change in registration of voters in Kenya and for Kenyan citizens living outside the country shall be suspended from May 4, 2022 to March 13, 2023,” said Mr Chebukati.

Even though the Election Act gives every Kenyan the right to register as a voter 60 days before the election date, IEBC argues that continuing with registration will stall the verification process and affect other critical deadlines before the General Election.

From previous elections, verification of registered voters often draws in few Kenyans compared to the registration. However, the electoral agency says it will conduct outreach campaigns to get people to verify their biometric data.

The end of the verification process will pave way for the gazetting of the final register to be used in the August 9 elections.