NAIROBI, Kenya — The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has announced that more than 2.6 million new voters were added to the national register following the conclusion of the 2026 Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR) exercise.
Speaking after the exercise closed on April 28, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethokon described the outcome as a major achievement for the commission and the country’s electoral process.
“Since the resumption of the enhanced voter registration exercise up to the time we closed, we wish to report that IEBC has since then enlisted a total of 2,612,725 new voters. To us, this is a major milestone, and we want to thank every Kenyan who has supported this exercise,” Ethokon said.
According to the commission, 267,249 voters were registered through continuous voter registration conducted at constituency offices between September 29, 2025, and the end of the exercise.
The largest share of registrations came during the 30-day nationwide campaign, which recorded 2,345,476 new voters.
“This comprises 267,249 new voters whom we registered under continuous voter registration at constituency offices. Under the mass voter registration exercise, we registered 2,345,476 new voters over the last 30 days,” Ethokon added.
The commission said the exercise was conducted using 5,390 Kenya Integrated Election Management System (KIEMS) kits distributed across 290 constituencies, 1,450 wards, and 57 Huduma Centres nationwide.
IEBC also partnered with universities, colleges, and Anniversary Towers to widen access and encourage youth participation in the registration drive.
Despite the high turnout, the commission acknowledged that security challenges disrupted operations in some areas.
“Security concerns, though localised, also affected operations in certain areas,” Ethokon said.
“Incidences of threats and attacks on registration personnel necessitated enhanced coordination with security agencies.”
The voter registration exercise is one of the commission’s key constitutional mandates ahead of future electoral processes and is expected to play a critical role in preparations for the 2027 General Election.
Ethokon said the 2026 exercise outperformed previous mass registration drives due to several operational reforms introduced by the commission.
Among the reforms was the adoption of an open kit system, which allowed eligible Kenyans to register at any centre of their choice, regardless of their home constituency or current residence.
