IEBC Orders Kenyans Registered Before 2012 to Re-Register

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has asked Kenyans who registered as voters before 2012 to register again.

IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon said this is necessary to make sure they are included in the current biometric voter register.

In a statement released on Thursday, April 2, 2026, he explained that the current voter register started in 2012 after major electoral reforms in the country. These reforms followed the introduction of the Constitution of Kenya 2010, the Elections Act, and the use of biometric voter registration.

He said that people who registered before 2012 are not in the current system unless they went back and registered again.

Because of this, all affected voters must register afresh to be included in the official voter register.

This announcement comes as IEBC continues with its nationwide Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR) exercise. The exercise began on March 30, 2026, and will run for 30 days across the country.

Registration is taking place in all 1,450 wards, universities and colleges, Huduma Centres, constituency offices, and at Anniversary Towers in Nairobi.

The exercise is part of preparations for the 2027 General Election, where IEBC aims to register about 2.5 million new voters.

So far, the Commission has registered over 344,000 new voters. It has also recorded more than 18,000 voter transfers and several requests to update voter details.

The chairperson said the current exercise builds on an earlier registration done in September 2025, which recorded over 273,000 new voters.

IEBC reminded Kenyans that the registration is ongoing every day, including weekends and public holidays. The exercise will end on April 28, 2026, and there will be no extension.

After the deadline, voter registration will continue only at constituency offices.

Voters who want to transfer to a new voting area must visit the registration office in the place they want to move to and provide their biometric details again. This helps prevent illegal voter transfers.

IEBC has also urged young people and first-time voters to come out in large numbers and register.

The chairperson encouraged all eligible citizens to take part, saying voter registration is an important responsibility.

He added that having a voter’s card is not just proof of registration, but also shows a person’s commitment to taking part in elections and holding leaders accountable.

The Commission has urged Kenyans to register early and encourage others to do the same before the deadline.