Key IEBC voter guideline explained as Ol Kalou voters use KIEMS-only identification
By Aloys Michael, July 16, 2026Voting is underway in the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) reminding voters that electronic identification through the Kenya Integrated Election Management System (KIEMS) kits is mandatory before anyone can cast a ballot.
The commission has emphasised that there is no manual voter register at any of the constituency’s 144 polling stations, making KIEMS-only identification the most important voting guideline for thousands of registered voters participating in Thursday’s mini-poll.
Polling stations opened at 6 a.m. and will remain open until 5 p.m, with only voters who are already in the queue by the official closing time allowed to cast their ballots. Under IEBC guidelines, every voter is required to present either a valid national identity card or a Kenyan passport before the identification process begins.
Identification process
Election officials are verifying voters using biometric data captured in the KIEMS kits, beginning with fingerprint authentication. Where fingerprint verification is unsuccessful, officials proceed to facial recognition through the same electronic system. If both biometric and facial identification fail, election officials conduct an alphanumeric search by entering the voter’s national identification number into the KIEMS kit.
If the voter’s details appear in the electronic register, the voter is required to pose for a photograph while holding the identification document before being cleared to receive a ballot paper. However, the IEBC has maintained that any voter whose details cannot be retrieved through the KIEMS system will not be allowed to vote because there is no printed manual register available for verification.
“There will be no manual register for identification. The KIEMS kit has worked and will work and we have backups in case any of them fail or slow down,” IEBC Commissioner Ann Nderitu said ahead of polling day.
Voting rules
Once successfully identified, voters receive their ballot paper before proceeding to the polling booth to cast their vote in secret. The commission has reminded voters that taking photographs or videos of ballot papers or any election materials inside the polling booth is strictly prohibited. After casting their vote, voters are expected to leave the polling station immediately to allow for a smooth voting process.
Polling stations are scheduled to close at 5 p.m., after which vote counting will begin immediately. Only accredited election officials, party agents, election observers and members of the media will be allowed to witness the tallying process. Hundreds of police officers have been deployed across the constituency to provide security and ensure the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election is conducted peacefully.
The KIEMS-only identification requirement has emerged as one of the key IEBC voter guidelines in the Ol Kalou by-election, with the electoral commission urging all eligible voters to carry their national identity card or passport and complete the electronic verification process before casting their ballots.