IEBC Directs Pre-2012 Voters to Register Afresh or Miss 2027 Elections
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has announced that Kenyans who registered as voters before 2012 must register again if they wish to take part in the 2027 General Election.
According to IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon, these voters are not included in the current biometric Register of Voters, which was introduced after the 2012 electoral reforms.
Ethekon explained that anyone who registered before 2012 and has not updated their details with fresh biometric data needs to come forward and register anew. He urged them not to assume their old registration is still valid, as only those captured in the biometric system will be allowed to vote in 2027.
This reminder comes as the IEBC carries out a nationwide mass voter registration exercise that started on March 30 and will end on April 28, 2026. The drive is taking place at county assembly wards, Huduma centres, universities, and constituency offices. So far, over 344,000 new voters have been registered. The commission is targeting at least 2.5 million new registrations, with special focus on young people and first-time voters. IEBC has stressed that there will be no extension beyond the April 28 deadline.
