Former Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana has cautioned the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) against sidelining Kenya’s Generation Z ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In a statement posted on his X account on Saturday, September 6, 2025, Kibwana warned that denying young people an opportunity to vote would be a “grave mistake” with lasting political consequences. He stressed that every eligible youth must be allowed to exercise their constitutional right to shape the country’s leadership.
Kibwana called on the Registrar of Persons to prioritize the issuance of national identification cards, noting that the lack of IDs remains the biggest obstacle preventing millions of young Kenyans from registering as voters. He argued that polling stations should be spaces where the youth feel included rather than excluded from the democratic process.
“It will be a socio-political crime for any eligible Gen Z not to register and vote in 2027. The Registrar of Persons must ensure IDs are available for all 18+ youth. The Articles 1 and 37 mother of all protests should be at the 55,393 or so polling stations,” Kibwana said.
Reflecting on the 2022 elections, the former governor revealed that between three and four million young Kenyans above the age of 18 were unable to cast their votes, primarily due to lack of identification cards or voter registration. He projected that by 2027, an additional four million Gen Z voters will become eligible, creating even more pressure on registration services.
Kibwana criticized the IEBC’s current target of registering 5.7 million new voters, saying it falls short of the actual requirement. He insisted that the electoral body should aim to register between seven and eight million new voters to prevent voter suppression.
“By 2022 elections, 3-4M youth over 18 did not vote. New Gen Z voters by 2027 will be approximately 4M. Hence IEBC Kenya should register 7-8M new voters, not their 5.7M estimate. IEBC should not suppress the Gen Z vote,” he added.
Kibwana’s warning underscores the growing political influence of Gen Z, a generation that has already demonstrated its power through activism and is poised to reshape Kenya’s political future.
