The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has rejected allegations of an organised scheme to register foreign nationals as Kenyan voters along the Kenya-Uganda border ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The allegations followed a media investigation that raised questions about the movement of voter registration equipment and claims that some Ugandan nationals were being assisted to obtain Kenyan identity documents and register as voters.
In a statement issued on Sunday, IEBC Chairman Erastus Edung Ethekon said the claims were unsubstantiated and that the Commission had not received credible evidence supporting allegations of illegal voter registration, voter transfers or the registration of foreigners.
“Where credible evidence is presented, the Commission shall take appropriate action,” the IEBC said, adding that any proven criminal conduct would be investigated and dealt with under Kenyan law.
Allegations centre on the Kenya-Uganda border
The controversy follows a KTN report that focused on the Suam border area in Trans Nzoia County. The report alleged that voter registration materials had been moved towards Uganda and raised questions about whether foreign nationals could be registered as Kenyan voters.
The allegations have not been independently established. IEBC said its voter registration process is conducted at designated and gazetted centres by trained officials under the supervision of registration officers.
The Commission also rejected claims that Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS) kits had been lost, intercepted or moved to unauthorised locations outside Kenya. It said the kits remained accounted for and under its control.
IEBC outlines voter registration figures
The Commission said its mandate is to register eligible Kenyan citizens who hold national identity cards or valid passports and maintain the national voter register. It does not issue Kenyan identity cards or passports, which are handled by other state agencies.
The IEBC registered 2,612,725 new voters between the resumption of continuous registration in September 2025 and the conclusion of the first phase of Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration in April 2026. Of that total, 2,345,476 were registered during the 30-day mass registration exercise, while 267,249 were registered through routine continuous registration.
As of April 9, the Commission had also recorded 49,502 voter transfers and 1,066 changes to voter particulars.
IEBC said it would continue its registration programme ahead of the 2027 election and urged anyone with evidence of electoral malpractice to report it to the Commission or the relevant investigative authorities.
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