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Where are the Gen Zs? IEBC struggles to attract voters in registration drive
Matatu operators queue to verify and register as new voters at Mololine offices located at Gate-Iguru, Nakuru City on September 30, 2025.
Low turnout continued to dog the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s (IEBC) continuous voter registration exercise in several counties on the second day, raising concern over the level of public interest ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In Laikipia County, less than 20 people had registered by 3 pm across three main centres — Nanyuki, Rumuruti, and Doldol, the respective headquarters of Laikipia East, West and North constituencies.
Most of those who turned up were young people who had recently acquired national identity cards and were eager to cast their first vote. County Election Coordinator Obadiah Gachoki said although there had been system downtime on the first morning, the technical hitch was rectified and registration was running smoothly, with each applicant taking about six minutes to process.
At the Nanyuki IEBC office, eight new voters had been registered by 2.30 pm, while four more applied for transfers to other polling centres.
The low turnout was attributed to the long distances residents must travel to reach the sub-county headquarters.
IEBC officials register a youth at the Nakuru Town-East constituency offices on September 29, 2025 during the start of the continuous voter registration drive.
Human rights activist Peter Wangai appealed to the National Treasury to release funds to enable IEBC to activate all the 351 registration centres in Laikipia.
“Someone travelling from Ngobit Ward to Nanyuki IEBC offices has to budget Sh1,000 for transport. This is discouraging, especially for young people,” he said.
Laikipia East is targeting 2,749 new voters, mostly those who recently obtained national IDs, with numbers expected to rise as more IDs are processed.
In Meru County, IEBC has set a target of registering 220,000 new voters, which would push the county’s voter population to more than 990,000 by 2027. County Elections Manager William Ndung’u said the commission expects to capture about 22,000 during the continuous registration, with the rest targeted during the mass registration drive.
“We expect to register at least 40 percent of the 220,000 during the continuous registration and 50 percent during the mass drive. We urge all eligible Kenyans to visit IEBC sub-county offices and register,” he said.
In Uasin Gishu County, President William Ruto’s home turf, IEBC officials were left frustrated after most centres recorded little or no turnout even by the second day. Across sub-counties, including Kapseret, Kesses, Moiben, and Soy, the registration centres remained largely empty.
Ainabkoi Constituency IEBC Registration Officer Eunice Maru and her colleague at their office in Kapsoya Estate, Eldoret by 2:30pm, they had not registered any new voters on September 29, 2025.
At Ainabkoi sub-County, where kits were set up by 8 am, not a single new voter had registered by 3 pm on Monday. The trend persisted into Tuesday, with biometric machines and clerks idle.
“We have been here since morning, and by afternoon, no one has turned up. Despite high expectations to see Gen Zs come out in big numbers, we have not registered a single voter,” said Eunice Maru, the Ainabkoi sub-County Registration Officer.
The IEBC is banking on Generation Z, many of whom have just acquired IDs, to fuel Kenya’s next phase of democratic participation. But their absence at registration centres has sparked concern that the youth — despite their strong online activism — may be disengaged from formal politics.
“We appeal to all eligible Kenyans, especially the youth who got IDs between 2022 and now, to take this opportunity to register so they can have a say in the 2027 elections,” Ms Maru said.
In Turbo, parent Philip Barno voiced similar concerns: “We hope this is not a sign that Gen Z is afraid or disengaged. As a parent, I urge them to register and help shape the country’s future.”
IEBC says it will intensify sensitisation campaigns through local media and schools to boost turnout in the coming days. For now, however, registration centres across key counties remain open — and mostly empty.
Reporting by Mwangi Ndirangu, David Muchui and Titus Ominde
