NAIROBI, Kenya – A new proposal in Parliament seeks to allow Kenyans who registered as voters using a valid passport to cast their ballots in the 2027 General Election even if the passport has since expired.
The proposed Bill would apply to voters whose passports were valid at the time they completed voter registration.
Under the proposal, expiry of the passport after registration would not automatically prevent the voter from using it as an identification document when voting.
Passport Must Have Been Valid At Registration
The proposal specifically requires that the passport used for voter registration must have been valid at the time the voter registered.
This would provide an exception for voters whose passports have expired since they were added to the electoral register.
The proposed change is aimed at addressing situations where a voter remains validly registered but their identification document has expired before election day.
Proposal Targets 2027 Election
If enacted, the amendment would apply ahead of the 2027 General Election and could affect Kenyans who rely on passports as their identification documents for voting.
The proposal is still subject to the parliamentary process and would have to be passed into law before becoming applicable.
