IEBC projects 28.5 million voters as registration drive gains momentum

A Voter gets registered at Kurus town in Kirinyaga County.[Jane Mugambi, Standard]

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has projected that Kenya’s voter register will rise to about 28.5 million ahead of the 2027 General Election, following an ongoing mass voter registration exercise that has recorded strong early uptake.

The commission currently places the national voter register at approximately 22.1 million, based on the 2022 General Election roll, which serves as the baseline for the updated registration cycle.

IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon said the first phase of the exercise has already shown encouraging progress, noting that about 850,000 new voters have been registered within just nine days.

“In the first phase of the mass registration drive, we have already recorded about 850,000 new voters within nine days, which is a strong indication of public participation,” he said.

He added that the momentum suggests the first phase could exceed Sh 1.8 million registrations if sustained.

He further stated that the commission is targeting an additional Sh 6.3 million to Sh 6.8 million new voters before the 2027 polls.

“Overall, we are targeting between 6.3 million and 6.8 million additional voters ahead of the next general election,” Ethekon said, adding that this would significantly expand the electorate.

A Voter gets registered at Kurus town in Kirinyaga County.[Jane Mugambi, Standard]

According to the projections, if the targets are achieved, the voter register would grow from the current 22.1 million to approximately 28.498 million eligible voters.

Ethekon emphasised that the registration exercise is ongoing and will continue through both mass and continuous voter registration centres to ensure wider access.

He noted that the final register will undergo verification, audit, and public scrutiny before being gazetted for use in the 2027 General Election, a process aimed at strengthening credibility and transparency.

Ethekon also warned that the expected increase in registered voters will require expanded election infrastructure, including more polling stations and additional staffing to ensure efficiency on polling day.

At the same time, he raised concern over budget constraints, stating that the commission has been allocated about KSh 41 billion against a required estimate of KSh 67.1 billion, leaving a funding shortfall of over KSh 20 billion.

“We have a significant funding deficit, which could impact critical areas such as voter education, technology systems, staffing, security arrangements, and stakeholder engagement,” Ethekon said.

He cautioned that the gap could affect key operations, including voter education, technology systems, staffing, security arrangements, and stakeholder engagement.

“Without adequate funding, the commission’s ability to deliver a fully credible, inclusive, and efficient electoral process may be compromised,” he said.