A relatively low turnout on the first day of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise has triggered worries that eligible young voters may miss an opportunity to vote in the upcoming elections.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is seeking to add six million new voters to its register ahead of 2027 polls, a majority of whom are expected to be young voters.
According to experts, IEBC must leverage technology and targeted civic education to ensure that Generation Z (Gen Z) Kenyans make their voices heard at the ballot, especially after the recent deadly youth-led anti-government protests.
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“We saw the Gen Zs come out last year, and this year, to passionately correct the government over bad governance. They must understand that Kenya is governed by the rule of law and the only way to change a government is through the ballot…IEBC must do more civic education on the importance of voting,” said Bosco Kiura, a governance expert.
Speaking on KTN on Monday, political risk analyst Dismas Mokua urged IEBC to stamp its institutional independence to regain trust and credibility which could be partly blamed for any apathy witnessed.
Nonetheless, Mokua insisted that Kenyans must register to vote to correct the shortcomings in the governance of the country.
“Voting promotes meritocracy and can also be used to punish impunity, mediocrity and corruption,” Mokua remarked.
IEBC launched the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise at an event held in Kajiado County on Monday, September 29.
The event which was led by IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon was also attended by commissioners of the electoral body and Kajiado governor Joseph Ole Lenku.
According to Ethekon, the commission has instituted measures that will guarantee credible polls in 2027 in a bid to regain trust from the electorate.
“As IEBC we have to create a credible register, that is not negotiable. It must reflect the true number of voters on the ground,” said Ethekon.
“By doing that, we safeguard the integrity of the 2027 general elections,” he added.
This CVR phase which runs until Friday aims to get at least 10 per cent of the six million new voters IEBC aims to add to the voter register before the 2027 general elections.
A further 40 per cent is marked for registration in the first enhanced CVR set to happen immediately after the November 27 by-elections while three million people will be added to the register during the second enhanced CVR to be carried out in the 2025/2026 financial year.
Should IEBC meet targets, at least 28 million Kenyans will be eligible to vote in the next general elections compared to 22 million verified voters during the 2022 elections.
Kenyans have been urged to visit any of the 290 IEBC constituency offices and Huduma Centres to update or verify their details, or transfer to preferred electoral areas.
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A relatively low turnout on the first day of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise has triggered worries that eligible young voters may miss an opportunity to vote in the upcoming elections.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is seeking to add six million new voters to its register ahead of 2027 polls, a majority of whom are expected to be young voters.
According to experts, IEBC must leverage technology and targeted civic education to ensure that Generation Z (Gen Z) Kenyans make their voices heard at the ballot, especially after the recent deadly youth-led anti-government protests.
Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
“We saw the Gen Zs come out last year, and this year, to passionately correct the government over bad governance. They must understand that Kenya is governed by the rule of law and the only way to change a government is through the ballot…IEBC must do more civic education on the importance of voting,” said Bosco Kiura, a governance expert.
Speaking on KTN on Monday, political risk analyst Dismas Mokua urged IEBC to stamp its institutional independence to regain trust and credibility which could be partly blamed for any apathy witnessed.
Nonetheless, Mokua insisted that Kenyans must
register to vote
to correct the shortcomings in the governance of the country.
“Voting promotes meritocracy and can also be used to punish impunity, mediocrity and corruption,” Mokua remarked.
IEBC launched the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise at an event held in Kajiado County on Monday, September 29.
The event which was led by IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon was also attended by commissioners of the electoral body and Kajiado governor Joseph Ole Lenku.
According to Ethekon, the commission has instituted measures that will guarantee credible polls in 2027 in a bid to regain trust from the electorate.
“As IEBC we have to create a credible register, that is not negotiable. It must reflect the true number of voters on the ground,” said Ethekon.
“By doing that, we safeguard the integrity of the 2027 general elections,” he added.
This CVR phase which runs until Friday aims to get at least 10 per cent of the six million new voters IEBC aims to add to the voter register before the 2027 general elections.
A further 40 per cent is marked for registration in the first enhanced CVR set to happen immediately after the November 27 by-elections while three million people will be added to the register during the second enhanced CVR to be carried out in the 2025/2026 financial year.
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Should IEBC meet targets, at least 28 million Kenyans will be eligible to vote in the next general elections compared to 22 million verified voters during the 2022 elections.
Kenyans have been urged to visit any of the 290 IEBC constituency offices and Huduma Centres to update or verify their details, or transfer to preferred electoral areas.
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By Denis Omondi