Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Commissioner Anne Nderitu has explained why voter registration in Kenya has seen low turnout despite ongoing efforts.

Speaking on Thursday, November 13, 2025, Nderitu revealed that the commission has registered only 100,000 new voters so far, far short of the targeted 6.8 million.

She attributed this to several factors affecting citizens’ ability and willingness to register, highlighting the cultural and logistical challenges involved.

According to Nderitu, one key reason is the entrenched culture among many Kenyans of waiting until the last minute to complete important tasks.

She explained that many people assume there is still time to register and therefore postpone the process, which leads to low early turnout. Nderitu emphasised that this habit needs to be addressed to ensure smoother registration without long queues and last-minute rushes.

“Kenyans have this culture of last-minute and wanting to compete with time until it’s the last minute. I know there are many Kenyans who are passing through the registration. They see that it is the IEBC office, and they say, Oh, there’s still time. So after time, after some time, I will come and register,” Nderitu stated.

Also watch: IEBC Voter Registration in Naivasha Records Low Turnout.

Nderitu also pointed out that the process of obtaining national identification cards is another factor contributing to low registration.

She noted that many young Kenyans are still acquiring their ID cards, which are essential for voter registration. She emphasised the importance of the IEBC’s collaboration with the Kenya National Registration Bureau to ensure that as many citizens as possible have valid ID numbers.

“We take cognisance of the fact that there are people who really are chasing their ID cards at the moment, and as young people, they are getting the ID card; they are waiting for ID cards. And that’s why our collaboration with the Kenya National Registration Bureau, where citizens are registered, is very critical, because we need as many Kenyans to have ID numbers as possible,” she added.

Hustle areas

Accessibility, Nderitu explained, is also a challenge, particularly in “hustle areas” or constituencies that are geographically large. Many registration centres are located far from remote communities, making it difficult and costly for residents to travel for registration. Nderitu stressed that this has limited participation in these areas and requires targeted interventions.

To address these challenges, Nderitu said the IEBC is rolling out the Enhanced Voter Continuous Registration programme. She explained that this initiative aims to bring registration services closer to citizens, even at the polling station level, in order to remove logistical barriers and increase voter registration, particularly among underserved communities.