The turnout of young people registering as voters is not impressive at all. Since the exercise began, the average number is a mere 1,500 per day, a figure too small for a population that prides itself on numbers and influence.
Before we jump into the usual blame game, we must pause and ask why. One of the most striking issues is that while there has been hype, details remain unclear, especially about the actual location of registration. A comment on IEBC’s X update reads, “mnajificha kama mihadarati, bado nawatafuta hapa Utawala.”
This frustration is echoed by many others, showing that IEBC hasn’t done enough to mobilise and clearly communicate.
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What many don’t realise is that this is a Continuous Voter Registration, conducted through IEBC’s normal offices across the country. In fact, it should have started earlier had the IEBC been legally constituted.
However, young people appear to have expected a mass registration drive with additional staff and mobile teams. The last time such an effort happened, clerks with BVR kits moved from place to place and delivered impressive results.
Judging from the current pace, the 6.3 million new voter target is clearly out of reach. Yet this is the very critical mass that will shape Kenya’s political and economic future.
Having set such an ambitious target, IEBC must pursue it aggressively with every strategy available. Its very first performance test will be measured on this issue alone. Adequate publicity, intensive mobilisation, and a full-scale registration drive are urgently needed.
Plans to expand registration points will therefore be welcome to bring the exercise closer to ordinary citizens. But politicians themselves must also take this seriously.
At a time when the IEBC seems under-resourced, those who claim to lead the new political awakening must rise to the challenge.
The same applies to Gen Z, who have loudly declared this as their political moment. Recently, the mantra was “Siri ni Numbers.” So, where are those numbers now?
Kenyans have only two legal chances to mobilise themselves in their millions without physical resistance: voter registration and the election itself. These moments represent the only safe, legitimate space where real change can be forged and protected.
Reaching 6.3 million new voters should come naturally if today’s frustrations are converted into genuine democratic action at the ballot. Only through deliberate participation in these processes can Kenyans—and especially Gen Z—truly claim their rightful seat at the decision-making table. That begins with registration.
The next two elections will be pivotal. A generation of colonial-era politicians will finally exit, making way for their children and grandchildren.
The same applies to the electorate, as an older voting bloc fades and a youthful one rises. Unless this opportunity is seized with energy, strategy, and numbers, there is always the danger of things remaining exactly the same.
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By Mike Nyagwoka