The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has started training its staff on Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in Naivasha. This comes ahead of Kenya’s 2027 general elections. The training is led by IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon.
Ethekon said the mission carries the weight of Kenya’s democratic future. “You are the face of the Commission. How you serve, communicate, and carry yourselves shapes what Kenyans think of the IEBC,” he told staff. He reminded them that their role is not just behind desks they represent democracy from polling stations in Turkana to the headquarters in Nairobi.
Focus on Young and Unregistered Voters
The CVR training targets young people who have recently turned 18 and all citizens who have not registered or need to update their voter information. The exercise is part of IEBC’s constitutional mandate under Article 88(4) of the 2010 Constitution.
Preparations for a Smooth Rollout
To ensure a successful nationwide CVR rollout, IEBC has taken several steps:
- Mapping Registration Centres: Verifying existing and proposed centres for accessibility.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Holding consultative forums at the constituency level.
- Geospatial Data Consolidation: Collecting data at constituency, county, and national levels for planning.
- KIEMS Kits Preparation: Configuring and testing Kenya Integrated Election Management System kits.
- Material Distribution: Dispatching registration materials to all operational areas.
- Data Protection Compliance: Conducting a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) to follow data laws.
How Kenyans Can Register
Eligible citizens can register at any IEBC constituency office, except in areas holding by-elections. Services available include:
- New voter registration
- Transfers to a new location
- Updating or correcting voter details
- Checking voter registration status
IEBC aims to ensure that every eligible Kenyan can participate in shaping the country’s future through democratic elections.
