The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has today, Monday, March 30, 2026, officially launched its month-long Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR) drive. The exercise, which runs until April 28, 2026, is designed to decentralize registration services from constituency headquarters directly to the ward and village levels.
Scaling Up for the 2027 General Election
The IEBC, led by Chairperson Erastus Ethekon, has set an ambitious target to register 2.5 million new voters during this 30-day window. This is part of a broader strategy to expand the national voter register to 28.5 million before the 2027 polls.
To ensure efficiency, the Commission is shifting from a “passive” to a “proactive” model:
- Mobile Kits: Registration clerks will travel between wards and villages according to a published kit movement schedule.
- Fixed Points: Registration remains available at all constituency offices, Huduma Centres, and the IEBC Customer Experience Centre at Anniversary Towers, Nairobi.
- Institutional Outreach: Specialized centers have been set up at universities and colleges to capture the student demographic.
The “Niko Kadi” Youth Surge
The launch comes amid a massive groundswell of youth engagement known as the “Niko Kadi” (I have a card) movement. Launched in mid-February by young activists Allan Ademba and Willie Oeba, the campaign has gone viral on social media, successfully mobilizing thousands of Gen Z Kenyans to register.
While the surge has caused temporary delays and kit shortages in areas like Thika, the IEBC has responded by deploying 15 high-speed BVR kits per constituency to handle the increased traffic.
Exclusions and Special Cases
Per the gazette notice dated March 27, the ECVR will be suspended in areas currently undergoing by-elections or active election petitions. These include:
- Wards: Porro and Endo.
- Constituencies: Emurua Dikirr, Malava, and Mbeere North.
Additionally, the Commission has clarified that while the ward-level “mass” exercise ends in late April, registration at Huduma Centres will continue indefinitely until a separate suspension notice is issued. A separate notice is also expected regarding registration for Kenyans in the diaspora and those in prison.
Security and Participation
Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen has assured the public that adequate security has been deployed to all registration centers. He emphasized that the government is providing logistical support to the IEBC to ensure that even remote and marginalized areas are reached.
Note for Applicants: To register, you must be a Kenyan citizen aged 18 or older and present an original National Identity Card or a valid Kenyan Passport. Photocopied documents or waiting slips will not be accepted.
