The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has raised concern over the low number of Kenyans turning up to register as voters, warning that the trend could negatively impact participation in future elections.
Speaking during a civic forum on elections and community security held in Murang’a County, Murang’a County Elections Manager Saumu Chirchir noted that many citizens, particularly young people, have yet to embrace the ongoing voter registration exercise.
Chirchir said the commission has already put in place comprehensive plans in preparation for the next elections while continuing with campaigns to encourage eligible citizens to register.
“The turnout remains low across all the seven constituencies in the county, and some of the reasons, as we have gathered, are that most of the young people complain about the long distance they travel to register.
She attributed the low turnout partly to the long distances many citizens must travel to reach registration centres, saying the commission is working on plans to bring services closer to wananchi.
“We want to assure them that the commission will soon roll out Continuous Voter Registration Phase One, which will take services down to the ward level, but those who can reach our offices should do so even before the mobile registration begins,” she said.
She further urged young people to collect their national identity cards from offices of the Registrar of Persons to enable them to register as voters.
“We have so many IDs lying uncollected at registrar offices. I urge our young people to pick them so that they can register as voters,” Chirchir added.
During the meeting, participants also discussed election preparedness and security, noting that while security agencies appear well prepared, some areas still need improvement ahead of the 2027 polls.
Justice Advocacy and Empowerment Center representative, Regina Wambui, encouraged young people to register in large numbers so they can participate in choosing leaders and shaping the destiny of the country.
She expressed optimism that intensified voter education and improved access to registration centres will boost youth participation in the coming electoral exercise.
“Right now only a minimum number has registered as voters, and the challenge is especially with our young people whom we continue to urge to come out and register as voters,” she noted
Youth leader Mike Steve also cautioned young people against being exploited by politicians during election periods.
“We are not crowd fillers or campaign tools. We are decision-makers whose time has come. I urge fellow young people to register as voters so we can elect leaders who will bring change,” he said.
He further urged the youth not to allow themselves to be used to cause chaos or settle political scores during campaigns.
“Our energy and strength should not be used to cause violence. Instead, we should channel it toward building our communities and even contesting leadership positions ourselves,” he added.
By Florence Kinyua
