IEBC: This is why polling station details are missing in online voter verification platform
IEBC officers in Kapsoya Estate, Eldoret City of Uasin Gishu Country on the first day of the commission’s continuous voters registration on September 29, 2025.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on Saturday asked Kenyans not to panic after curious online users noticed details of their polling station, which were previously available when they queried an online voter registration platform, were missing.
The commission said the details of the polling stations, derived after voter registration tagged to a polling centre (which has many stations or streams) alphabetically and pegged at 700, the maximum number of voters set by law per polling station.
"Please note that your registration details currently show the polling centre, but not the stream number, because voter registration is still ongoing. The Commission, by law, splits registration/polling centres into polling stations (streams) of up to 700 voters only after the register is closed. This “streaming” is done alphabetically by first name to ensure a balanced distribution. Once voter registration concludes, the final register will be published with your specific polling station and stream number," the commission said in a statement on Saturday evening.
In a separate statement issued on April 4, 2026, the Commission clarified another issue: on the register of voters who registered before 2012.
IEBC, which had on Friday said that all voters enrolled pre-2012 should register afresh, on Saturday clarified that only those who missed the opportunity to re-register after 2012 are required to enrol again.
“Should those who registered before 2012 as voters need to register afresh? Not at all, UNLESS they DID NOT register as voters from 2012 when the new Register of Voters (RoV) was established under the Constitution of Kenya 2010 and boundaries delimitation of 2012,” the IEBC said in a statement.
Before 2012, Kenya’s voter register was maintained manually. In 2012, the country transitioned to a biometric system, requiring all eligible voters to re-enrol and have their biometric data captured, the IEBC explained.
This system has been in use since 2013. By the 2022 General Election, the IEBC had maintained a verified voter register of 22,120,458 individuals.
“We have not asked all old voters pre-2012 to register afresh. Only those few who might have missed registering in 2012 and have never registered under the biometric system need to do so,” said IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon.
The Commission’s statement follows earlier concerns about whether all voters registered before 2012 were included in the current biometric register.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Chairperson Erastus Ethekon makes his remarks during the signing of a memorandum of understanding between IEBC and the Kenya Media Sector Working Group in Nairobi on March 27, 2026.
The IEBC is continuing its Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR) exercise, which began on March 30, 2026, and will run until April 28, 2026. The registration is taking place in all 1,450 County Assembly Wards, higher learning institutions, Huduma Centres, the Customer Experience Centre at Anniversary Towers, and constituency offices across the country.
In addition, the IEBC provided further guidance on voter transfers. Citizens wishing to transfer their registration must report to the registration officer in the constituency they wish to move to and have their biometrics captured again.
“This ensures proper verification and prevents unlawful mass transfers,” Ethekon added.
Registration is open nationwide, and citizens can register at any designated centre, which allows them to vote at their preferred polling station.
Ethekon also called on young people, especially first-time voters and members of Gen Z, to take part in the process.
“Our primary mission during this window is simple: ‘kuwakatia KADI’ (to ensure you get that voter’s card). This slip represents more than just proof of registration; it’s a commitment to the democratic process and a promise to hold our leaders accountable,” he said.
The Commission’s directive for pre-2012 voters to re-register sparked significant public uproar, with political leaders, including Martha Karua, raising concerns over the move.
“Your right to vote is not conditional. It is guaranteed under Article 38 of our Constitution. Kenyans cannot be punished for administrative failures within the IEBC,” Karua said in response.
As the voter registration process continues, the IEBC has urged all eligible citizens to participate and ensure they are included in the register.
On their part, the Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K) also sharply criticised IEBC regarding its ongoing Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR) process.
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Led by Eugene Wamalwa, the party accused the electoral body of “manipulating” the voter register in the lead-up to the 2027 General Elections.
“Dear IEBC @IEBCKenya, this game will not be tolerated. If 99% of voters from the 2022 elections were successfully identified through biometrics, why the need for another round of registration? Don’t try these tricks again,” they said in a post on X dated April 4, 2026.
The reaction reflects ongoing opposition scrutiny of electoral processes in Kenya. The party questions the necessity of a fresh registration, highlighting the reported 99 percent success rate of biometric matching in 2022 and suggesting that another large-scale drive could create opportunities for irregularities.
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