The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive elections, saying it is working to ensure that youth, persons with disabilities and other special interest groups are not left out of the democratic process.

In a statement shared on X on Saturday, April 11, 2026, the commission pointed out its recent engagement with lawmakers, indicating ongoing efforts to strengthen inclusion in electoral processes and decision-making structures.

The commission explained that it recently appeared before a parliamentary committee to discuss how special interest groups can be better represented, including the steps it is taking to address existing gaps in participation.

“IEBC on Friday, April 10, 2026, participated in a dialogue with the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee on the representation of Special Interest Groups (SIGs). The Commission was represented by the Commission Secretary/CEO, Moses Sunkuli, OGW, and senior management,” the Commission stated.

The commission further indicated that during the discussions, the CEO Moses Sunkuli reiterated his commitment to ensuring that elections reflect the country’s diversity, especially by improving opportunities for marginalised groups to participate.

“During the presentation, the Commission Secretary/CEO noted that the Commission remains committed to promoting inclusive, fair, and representative elections, with continued efforts to enhance gender equality and the participation of persons with disabilities (PWDs) and youth,” the statement reads.

The commission further said that reforms introduced ahead of the 2022 elections required political parties to align their nominations with the constitutional two-thirds gender rule, but noted there was widespread non-compliance and weak enforcement, adding that implementation was also affected by court decisions.

“He further highlighted that ahead of the 2022 General Election, reforms were introduced requiring political parties to align their nomination rules with constitutional requirements, including the two-thirds gender principle. However, challenges such as non-compliance and limited enforcement mechanisms persist, with implementation also affected by court decisions, underscoring the need for stronger legal and regulatory frameworks,” the statement reads.

IEBC announces 875,501 new voters registered in 10 days

IEBC has reported a significant surge in voter registration, with 875,501 new voters enrolled between March 30 and April 9, 2026, under the ongoing Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR) exercise.

The Commission stated that Kenyans have strongly reacted with patriotism, and the turnout indicates an increased interest in participating in the country’s democratic processes.

The commission indicated that the most recent number shows the number of new voters has increased drastically by 531,185 since the last update released on 3rd April 2026.

“The patriotic spirit displayed by Kenyans over the past week deeply inspires the Commission. We wish to extend our sincere appreciation and congratulations to the hundreds of thousands of citizens who have stepped forward to claim their right to vote. New registered voters: The number of new registered voters since the beginning of ECVR, from 30th March 2026 to 9th April 2026, is 875,501. Therefore, since the last update of 3rd April 2026, the Commission has recorded an increase of 531,185 new voters,” the IEBC press release stated in part.