Alfred Makotsi, youth leader and political analyst, has called for urgent reforms in voter registration ahead of the 2027 elections, warning that Kenya’s electoral system must adapt to the country’s growing population of young voters.
Speaking on Thursday during an interview with Radio Generation, Makotsi highlighted the large number of youth who missed the 2022 general elections and stressed the need for digital solutions to make registration easier and more accessible.
“Eight million didn’t vote in the 2022 general elections, eight million is not just a number. It’s a huge number,” Makotsi said.
He noted that the figure, largely from the mountain region, is dwarfed by the level of youth engagement seen during demonstrations and political mobilizations in June 2024.
“Don’t just look at what happened in Parliament. Look at what happened in more than 20 counties across the country,” he added.
Makotsi warned that by 2027, even more young people will become eligible to vote, many coming straight out of high school.
“There are more young people who are coming in straight from high school, graduating from high school, and by 2027 they’ll be ready to vote. They’ll be due to vote,” he said.
He questioned whether the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is prepared to register this new wave of voters, given that traditional registration methods are slow and cumbersome.
Makotsi emphasized that young people are digitally savvy and capable of using online platforms for voter registration.
“We should move away from the queuing and the center and going to the IEBC. We are doing so much in the digital space, and young people are so much in the digital world. More needs to be done,” he said.
Makotsi also backed the call by Jubilee Youth League Chairperson Angel Mbuthia for a young IEBC Commissioner who can better understand the needs of young voters.
“A young commissioner would tell the IEBC that these things of queuing to go and register voters, I think, is way beyond the age of time. We have young people who can access the internet can log into portals. We have M-PESA working. We have internet, mobile e-banking working. I think it is high time that we have to trust our digital system for our young people,” he said.
He pointed to the increasing role of youth in political mobilization and digital campaigns, stressing that the system must evolve to keep pace with their engagement.
“We even have the young people who mobilize themselves into Parliament and all over the country in the digital technology. I think now the question is, is IEBC prepared to register these young people?”
IEBC will be resuming its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) from Monday, September 29, 2025.
The Commission said the exercise is in line with its constitutional mandate under Article 88(4) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010.
It described the process as “a vital step in ensuring that every eligible Kenyan has the opportunity to participate in shaping the country’s future through democratic elections.”
IEBC noted that the registration is particularly targeted at young people who have recently turned 18 years and citizens who have not yet registered or need to update their voter details.
Eligible Kenyans will be able to register at any IEBC constituency office, except in areas where by-elections are ongoing.
Services offered will include new voter registration, transfer of voter registration to a new location, correction of details, and inspection of voter registration status.
According to the Constitution, a person is eligible to register as a voter if they are a Kenyan citizen, at least 18 years old, possess a valid Kenyan identity card or passport, are not already registered elsewhere, and have not been convicted of an election offence in the past five years.
They must also not be declared to be of unsound mind and must not be listed in the current register of voters.
Applicants will be required to fill out the relevant forms depending on the service needed. Form A will be used for new registrations, Form B for change of particulars, Form C for transfers, Form D for claims or objections, and Form E for appeals against a registration officer’s decision.
For new registrations, applicants must visit a designated registration centre with a valid Kenyan ID or passport, provide biometric data such as fingerprints and a photograph, and complete the statutory form.
Once registered, they will receive an acknowledgement slip. IEBC clarified that “the acknowledgement slip is not required as an identification document during voting.”
Those seeking to transfer registration from one polling station to another will need to visit the constituency office, fill Form C, and complete biometric validation. Kenyans can also inspect their registration details online at https://verify.iebc.or.ke or at constituency offices.
