IEBC: Youth to form 70% of voters in 2027
By Kenneth Mwenda, September 29, 2025The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has called on young people to register as voters ahead of the 2027 General Election. The Commission projects that about 70 per cent of voters in the next election will be youth, making them the largest voting bloc in the country.
Speaking during the launch of continuous voter registration, at Mashuuru Primary School in Kajiado East constituency, on Monday, September 29, 2025, the IEBC chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon appealed directly to the youth to take advantage of the exercise. He stressed that the future of the nation rests on their participation in the democratic process.
“Fellow Kenyans, I particularly appeal to the youth, and I think most of the speakers, all your leaders have spoken about this. My commissioners have also spoken about this. And therefore, I am again just repeating it for the sake of repeating. And more importantly, because the youth, as you’ve been told, are about 70 per cent of the likely voters in the coming election,” he said.
This follows former Chief Justice David Maraga’s voter registration drive, which targets five million new voters, primarily the youth.
The chairperson urged young people who have not yet registered to do so without delay. He reminded them that registration today gives them the chance to make their voices heard at the ballot box tomorrow.
“I am urging you and encouraging you that if you are not registered, this is your chance to register today and make your voice heard tomorrow during the next general election,” he said.
Elsewhere, Mumias East MP Peter Salasya has urged Kenyan youth to register as voters ahead of the 2027 polls.
Continuous voter registration
The commission has already started continuous voter registration, which will run until a few months before the election. After that, the register will be audited and cleaned up to ensure it reflects the true number of eligible voters. The chairperson stressed that maintaining a credible voter register is not open to compromise.
“So by building a credible register from this registration process, that we will have a register. And as IEBC, we have to create and establish a credible register. That one is non-negotiable. Our register should be credible. Our register should reflect the true number of voters who have registered and who are on the ground. And by doing that, we are safeguarding the integrity of the 2027 general election,” he said.
The IEBC further explained that after the by-elections set for November 27, 2025, the commission will begin a mass voter registration drive. This effort will extend to the grassroots, including villages and wards, to ensure that every eligible Kenyan is reached.