Kenya electoral commission has reported a surge in new voter registrations following the conclusion of a 30-day nationwide exercise that drew more than 1.8 million people to registration centres.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission said the Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration exercise recorded strong participation across counties, with long queues reported in major urban areas including Nairobi as the deadline approached.
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chairman Erastus Ethekon praised the turnout, describing it as a clear demonstration of public commitment to democratic participation.
“I sincerely thank everyone who turned out to register as voters and take part in shaping the future of our nation,” he said.
The month-long exercise, conducted under the theme Deepening democracy in Kenya through inclusive voter registration, had set a target of 2.5 million new voters. While the final tally fell short, officials said the outcome reflected a significant expansion of the voter roll.
Data released on 24 April 2026 shows the number of registered voters rose sharply in the final days of the exercise. The commission recorded 1,370,930 registrations by 17 April 2026, increasing by 505,344 within six days to surpass 1.8 million.
The voter registration process is anchored in Article 38 of the Constitution of Kenya, which guarantees every citizen the right to vote. Ethekon said registration remains the gateway to participation in the electoral process.
County performance and youth turnout
Nairobi County recorded the highest number of new registrations at 209,965, driven largely by high turnout among young voters. Kiambu followed with 97,557, while Nakuru recorded 81,166.
Kakamega recorded 80,711 new voters, with Machakos at 65,616 and Meru at 56,486. Kilifi registered 54,171 while Kisii recorded 50,551.
Turkana registered 50,310 new voters, reflecting growing engagement in areas that have historically recorded lower participation levels.
At the lower end, Lamu recorded 8,345 new registrations. Isiolo followed with 9,291, while Mandera recorded 14,946. Samburu and Nyamira registered 17,361 and 17,575 respectively.
A significant portion of the new registrants were young people, many of whom faced delays in obtaining national identity cards, a key requirement for voter registration.
Despite efforts to fast-track identity card production, the delays affected turnout in some areas, particularly among first-time voters. However, the final figures suggest sustained interest among young Kenyans in civic participation.
In addition to new registrations, the commission reported 159,410 voter transfers and 2,817 updates to personal records during the exercise.
The commission said it will continue refining the voter register ahead of upcoming electoral processes, including verification and clean-up of records to improve accuracy.
