Commissioner Alutalala defends IEBC’s data protection system amid public mistrust
By Joel Masibo, September 29, 2025The IEBC Commissioner Alutalala Mukhwana has defended the commission’s data protection system ahead of the resumption of continuous voter registration on Monday, September 29, 2025, nationwide.
In a local TV interview on Monday morning, September 29, 2025, Alutalala said the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission is accurate in data verification and recording of voters as it seeks to add new numbers into the voter register ahead of the 2027 general election.
”IEBC is data compliant…Everything is accurate because things are not being done manually. We are doing the launch to mark the onset of continuous voters’ registration on the ground next to Machuru Primary School,” Alutalala said.
His defence comes days after a TIFA survey revealed that many Kenyans have no faith in IEBC conducting a free and fair election. The TIFA report released on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, shows that only 18 per cent of Kenyans now say they are “very confident” in the commission, a sharp decline from 58 per cent recorded in August 2022.
Also, according to the findings, 26 per cent of Kenyans are only “somewhat confident” in the commission, while nearly half, 48 per cent, say they are not confident at all. Another 8 per cent remain undecided.
The downward trend in trust has been consistent since the last election. In May 2025, confidence had already dropped to 20 per cent, and it has now slid further to 18 per cent in September.
”The issue of trust is historical and cannot be attributed to this commission alone. We are putting four kits in every constituency, two to avoid congestion and another two open kits to allow you to vote in a different location, but for your home constituency,” Alutalala added.
Services offered at voter registration stations
At the voter registration station, different services are offered during the process:
- Voter registration
- Correction or update of voter details
- Transfer of voter registration to a new electoral area and
- Verification of voter details
For one to be eligible to register, the following requirements are mandatory:
- Kenyan citizens 18 years and above
- Possess a valid Kenyan Identity Card (ID) or a valid Kenyan Passport
- Not registered before as a voter
- Not convicted of an election offence in the past five years
- Not declared to be of unsound mind