The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has restored its voter verification portal after days of unexplained outage that drew sharp public criticism and concern. The digital platform, essential for confirming voter registration details, had been inaccessible via both the IEBC website and SMS service, causing anxiety among citizens as political activity intensifies ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In a statement released on Sunday, the IEBC confirmed the system is now back online, attributing the outage to a system maintenance exercise. According to the commission, the maintenance was part of an infrastructure migration aimed at improving system performance and enhancing data security.
“We wish to assure all Kenyans that the registration details of the 22,120,458 registered voters, as recorded during the 2022 General Election, remain intact and secure,” the IEBC stated. The commission emphasized that the upgrade was necessary to ensure more reliable service delivery.
However, the lack of communication during the downtime sparked unease. The commission failed to disclose when the system went offline, the expected duration of the maintenance, or the nature of the upgrades. This opacity fueled public concern in a country where electoral processes have historically been mired in controversy and where trust in election management bodies remains fragile.
Observers, civil society organizations, and citizens alike questioned the IEBC’s preparedness and transparency, especially given the critical role of digital tools in managing electoral data. With the voter verification portal now operational, pressure is mounting on the IEBC to improve communication protocols and reinforce public confidence in its systems.
The voter verification tool is vital in upholding electoral integrity, enabling voters to confirm and correct their registration details in advance of the polls. As Kenya heads toward the 2027 General Election, with more than 22 million registered voters, the IEBC’s handling of digital infrastructure will continue to face scrutiny.
Calls are growing for the commission to adopt clearer, more transparent communication strategies and to proactively manage its platforms. The restoration of the portal marks a necessary step forward, but for many, it is also a reminder of the importance of reliability and openness in electoral governance.
