NAIROBI, Kenya- Opposition leaders have asked the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to release the voter register before its next mass registration exercise, saying that voter registration is being conducted unevenly and that non-Kenyans may be obtaining Kenyan identity cards.
The leaders, led by Nyandarua Senator John Methu, raised the concerns at Priesthood Fellowship Church in Nairobi during the inauguration of JJ Gitahi as the church’s archbishop.
They alleged that registration was being intensified in areas viewed as supportive of the government while opposition strongholds risked being disadvantaged.
DAP-Kenya Party leader Eugene Wamalwa claimed voter registration was taking place near the Uganda border with government support.
He also accused the Registrar of Persons of issuing national identity cards to non-Kenyans. Mukurweini MP John Kaguchia echoed concerns about the alleged registration practices.
The leaders’ demand for the register’s release is aimed at allowing political parties and the public to scrutinise the list ahead of the next large-scale registration exercise.
Opposition wants scrutiny before registration drive
The leaders said early access to the voter register would help identify possible irregularities before more people are added to the roll.
They argued that transparency around where and how registration is taking place is important as the country prepares for the 2027 General Election.
Their concerns touch on two separate processes: the issuance of national identity cards and the registration of eligible voters.
Kenya’s National Registration Bureau is responsible for registering citizens and issuing national identity cards, while the IEBC maintains the voter register and registers eligible citizens using identification documents.
The distinction matters because allegations about identity card issuance involve a different government agency from the electoral commission.
The National Registration Bureau says its mandate is to issue identity cards to Kenyan citizens aged 18 and above.
The IEBC, meanwhile, has previously said it registers eligible citizens who present a national identity card or valid Kenyan passport.
IEBC has rejected similar allegations
The commission has previously denied allegations of voter smuggling and the registration of foreigners, describing the claims as unsubstantiated.
In a statement issued in September, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon said the commission had not received credible evidence to support the allegations and urged anyone with information to submit it for investigation.
The IEBC said it would take appropriate action if evidence of malpractice was presented, including investigations and possible disciplinary or criminal proceedings where warranted.
The commission has also said that voter registration is part of its preparations for the 2027 election.
During a recent registration period, it recorded more than 2.6 million new voters, alongside tens of thousands of voter transfers and changes to voter details.
The IEBC has set a target of expanding the register ahead of the next General Election.
