NAIROBI, Kenya — People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has challenged the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to explain how it will protect the integrity of the 2027 General Election after UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar suggested that fingerprints of deceased Kenyans could be used to cast votes.
Karua described the remarks as deeply disturbing, particularly because they were made by a senior political official as Kenya prepares for the next presidential and general elections.
Omar made the remarks during a political event in Mombasa on Thursday, September 10, 2026, while urging supporters to mobilise voters and support President William Ruto’s re-election bid.
While discussing Kenya’s biometric voter registration system, Omar suggested that the fingerprints of people who had died could be taken before burial and used to cast votes.
“Siku ya election hata sisi ni kumira kumira. Hata kama mtu amekufa sasa hivi, tuchukue kidole chake kabla hatujamzika, tueke kwa ile BVR tupige kura yake. Kumira kumira kwa hata yule tunamzika leo, manake ile kura yake ndio risasi yetu, ndio silaha yetu, ndio ngao yetu.”
Omar went on to link voter mobilisation to demands for greater political representation and development, including more Cabinet positions and other government appointments.
The remarks have raised fresh questions about the safeguards available to prevent deceased, duplicate or otherwise ineligible voters from being used to influence an election.
Karua demands answers from IEBC
Karua said the suggestion that deceased people could be used to cast votes raised serious concerns about the protection of the electoral process.
“A government official publicly saying their strategy will be ‘voting the dead’ is a seriously grave matter. The confidence with which such a statement can be made is deeply disturbing, especially at the cusp of an election whose integrity is a constitutional responsibility,” Karua said.
She challenged the IEBC to explain what measures it was putting in place to prevent voter impersonation and other forms of electoral manipulation.
Karua also accused the electoral commission of failing to adequately respond to previous electoral violations.
“We have seen an unacceptable pattern of IEBC Kenya turning a blind eye to electoral violations, and this is something they must answer to.”
She cited Article 81 of the Constitution, which requires elections to meet standards including freedom and fairness, transparency, impartiality, accuracy and independent and neutral administration.
Karua questions 2027 election safeguards
Karua directly asked the electoral commission to account for the systems and safeguards it intends to deploy before the 2027 election.
“IEBC Kenya What systems and safeguards are you putting in place to ensure that no vote can be manufactured, no voter can be impersonated and no political actor or public official can interfere with the integrity of the 2027 election?”
She said the IEBC’s constitutional responsibility extends beyond election day and includes protecting citizens’ right to freely choose their leaders throughout the electoral process.
Her intervention places renewed focus on the commission’s preparations for an election in which biometric voter identification, the accuracy of the voters’ register and protection against voter impersonation are expected to remain critical issues.
How Kenya’s biometric voter system works
Kenya moved from a manual voter register to biometric voter registration in 2012.
The system captures voters’ biometric and demographic information and is designed to help identify registered voters and prevent duplicate registration.
Biometric identification is intended to establish that the individual presenting themselves at a polling station corresponds with the registered voter’s details.
However, the effectiveness of the system depends on several layers of protection, including the accuracy and updating of voter records, the reliability of biometric equipment, polling procedures and other safeguards built into the electoral process.
The existence of a biometric system does not by itself eliminate all potential risks associated with inaccurate records or attempts at voter impersonation.
Importance of updating voters’ register
The issue also highlights the importance of continuously updating the voters’ roll.
A person’s name may remain in government records for some time after death, depending on how quickly information is transmitted between relevant institutions and databases.
Regular verification and updating of electoral records is therefore important in ensuring that the voters’ register reflects eligible voters.
The IEBC is mandated to conduct continuous voter registration and revise the voters’ roll as part of its responsibilities.
Effective coordination between government agencies responsible for recording deaths and the electoral commission can also help ensure that deceased voters are removed from the active register.
IEBC deploys electoral risk tool
The IEBC has also begun deploying an Electoral Risk Management Tool as part of preparations for the 2027 election.
The tool is intended to help identify and manage risks that could affect the electoral process, including misinformation, political tensions, violence, logistical challenges and technology-related threats.
Its use is expected to cover different stages of the electoral cycle, from voter registration and polling to tallying and the post-election period.
The system adds another layer to the commission’s preparations as political activity intensifies ahead of the election.
