IEBC engages Turkana residents in bid to address low voter registration

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has intensified efforts to address low voter registration and voter participation in Turkana County ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The commission held a high-level stakeholder engagement forum on voter registration, inclusion, representation, and electoral integrity during the Tobong’u Lore Annual Cultural Festival.

The forum brought together community elders, religious leaders, civil society organisations, women, youth, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and government officials.

The engagement comes amid concern over persistent low voter registration in Turkana.

Despite having a population of over one million people, only 238,528 voters were registered in the 2022 General Election. Some constituencies, such as Turkana East, ranked among the lowest in voter registration nationwide.

IEBC Deputy Commission Secretary for Operations Ruth Kulundu said they are committed to expanding voter registration through Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), which she described as the foundation of credible elections.

“IEBC has offices in all 47 counties and 290 constituencies. Continuous Voter Registration is the backbone of a credible voter register,” Kulundu said.

“We are urging young people, first-time voters, and those who have not registered to visit IEBC constituency offices and take advantage of CVR,” she added.

Ag Director of Voter Education, Partnerships and Communications Joyce Ekuam emphasized that elections should not be viewed as one-day event but as a continuous democratic process.

 “Elections are not events; they are processes,” Ekuam said.

“For elections to be credible and inclusive, every actor—citizens, civil society, government agencies, and the IEBC—must play their role consistently,” she added.

Stakeholders said Turkana’s vast size, poor infrastructure, and harsh terrain continue to hinder voter registration and participation. Long distances between polling stations, limited transport, and harsh living conditions were cited as major barriers.

Mary Ekutan, a local leader, said polling stations are far apart, discouraging many residents from taking part in elections.

“Polling stations are very far from each other. You can imagine someone who is hungry being asked to walk many kilometres, cross rivers, or struggle through harsh terrain just to look for a polling station or go and change their station,” Ekutan said. “IEBC should review this and give us more wards. One polling station is representing a whole ward that should have at least three MCAs,” she added.

Persons with disabilities cited lack of proper support at polling stations.

James Ekai, a representative of PWDs, said many polling stations lack basic assistive equipment, limiting independent participation.

“Persons with disabilities face serious challenges during elections. In many polling stations, there are no sign language interpreters for the deaf, no braille ballot guides or tactile voting aids for the blind, and no trained officers who understand how to assist voters with special needs,” Ekai said.

“Some polling stations are also not accessible to wheelchairs, forcing voters with disabilities to depend on others. This affects our dignity, privacy, and the secrecy of the vote. IEBC must ensure every polling station is properly equipped and staffed so that persons with disabilities can vote independently and with confidence,” he added.

Deputy County Commissioner Patrick Omuse said lack of national identity cards remains a major obstacle to voter registration, particularly among young people.

“Without an ID, you cannot register as a voter,” Omuse said, urging youth to apply for and collect their documents early.

Jackson Nakusa, Chairperson of the Turkana Professionals Association (TPA), described the engagement as historic but raised concerns over political representation, election security, and funding.

“Turkana County covers about 77,000 square kilometres and is represented by only six MPs, while Nairobi, which is much smaller, has over 20 MPs,” Nakusa said, adding that some residents travel more than 400 kilometres to access IEBC services.

Nakusa called for stern action against leaders who incite violence during elections, and urged consistency in polling station names to avoid voter confusion, and adequate funding for the IEBC.

He further claimed that the commission faces operational challenges, including a lack of vehicles for officials to reach remote areas, which affects service delivery and voter outreach.

 “The IEBC needs proper resources. Some offices do not even have vehicles to reach far-flung communities. This makes it hard to carry out voter registration and sensitization,” Nakusa said.

Civil society representative Pauline Lokuruka, Director of Echami Aito, called for greater inclusion of women in leadership.

“Men and women should work together. Shared leadership will help us solve many problems as a county,” Lokuruka said.

Nakusa urged citizens, especially young people, to take personal responsibility by collecting their IDs and registering as voters ahead of the 2027 elections.

IEBC officials said they will continue engaging communities through cultural platforms such as Tobong’u Lore to build trust, expand access to electoral services, and promote inclusive democratic participation.

 The commission acknowledged that addressing low voter registration in Turkana requires sustained effort, improved infrastructure, adequate funding, and close collaboration with local leaders to ensure no eligible voter is left behind.

With just over 238,000 registered voters out of more than one million residents, Turkana faces a critical challenge ahead of 2027. Local leaders and civil society are calling for more accessible polling stations, better inclusion of PWDs, adequate staffing, and operational support for the IEBC to ensure credible and inclusive elections.

The community leaders said that engagement, awareness, and practical support will be key in boosting voter registration and participation across the county