The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has announced the launch of a digital voter registration platform designed to make it easier for young people across Kenya to sign up as voters ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The move is part of broader efforts to modernise voter enrolment and address slow uptake in traditional registration channels.
Speaking on Wednesday at a prayer breakfast event, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon explained that the new platform will allow prospective voters, particularly young people, to complete most of their registration online before visiting a physical centre to submit their biometric data.
“We are introducing a digital platform where you have a link, a pre-registration form you can fill in all your details, and all you need to do is walk to the nearest Huduma or registration centre and give your fingerprints,” Ethekon said.
Under the proposed system, users will be able to access the platform via mobile phone or computer to enter personal information ahead of biometric capture. IEBC officials say this approach is intended to reduce long queues and paperwork that have historically discouraged young people and others from registering.
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This announcement comes amid ongoing voter registration drives across Kenya. While the IEBC has resumed voter enrolment nationwide and plans a ward-based mass registration exercise starting March 29, uptake has been slow, with slightly over 200,000 new voters registered so far this cycle.
The digital pre-registration initiative is part of IEBC’s broader strategy to reach its goal of enlisting millions of new voters, the majority of whom are young Kenyans aged 18 and above.
Previous projections by the Commission have emphasised that a large share of the electorate ahead of the next election will be youth, making their participation critical to the democratic process.
Ethekon noted that accessibility challenges, such as the distance to registration centres, may have contributed to low registration numbers.
“We believe low numbers may be due to the way registration centres have been set up, and that some young people are reluctant to travel long distances,” he said, highlighting the importance of making voter registration more accessible.
With projections indicating that a large share of the electorate ahead of the 2027 election will be young people, the Commission is optimistic that digital pre-registration will encourage greater participation and strengthen Kenya’s democratic process.
– By Mark Simitia
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