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Millennials Drive Voter Registration as Gen Z Trails, Says IEBC Commissioner

By Ahmed Salat Ali 

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has reported a notable generational gap in voter registration, with millennials and older citizens leading the exercise while younger voters lag behind.

IEBC Commissioner Alutalala Mukhwana revealed that Kenyans aged above 35 years account for the majority of new registrations since the launch of the Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR) exercise on September 29 last year.

Speaking during an interview with a local radio station on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, Mukhwana said older voters dominate the registration figures, representing more than two-thirds of the new entries in the voters’ roll.

“Those aged above 35 years account for 67.35 per cent of the new registrations, while those between 18 and 35 years make up only about 32 per cent,” Mukhwana said.

He noted that the largest share of new registrations is concentrated among voters aged between 36 and 40 years, underscoring stronger participation among middle-aged Kenyans compared to younger citizens.

“You can clearly see that the bulk of those leading in voter registration are individuals above 35 years. The distribution is largely between the ages of 36 and 40,” he added.

The commissioner expressed concern over the low participation among younger voters, particularly those aged between 18 and 20 years, whom he described as the least responsive group in the ongoing exercise.

“Youth engagement remains relatively low. Although those aged 35 and below make up about 32.65 per cent of the new registrations, the 18 to 20-year-old bracket is the worst performing,” Mukhwana observed.

He attributed the trend to limited motivation and inadequate civic awareness among young people, stressing the need for intensified voter education.

“There appears to be low motivation or limited awareness among young people, especially recent high school graduates. This points to the need for sustained civic education to encourage youth participation in the democratic process,” he said.

Mukhwana further explained that voter registration trends are strongly influenced by geography and population movement, particularly migration to urban areas.

“Urbanisation has a very strong influence on voter registration. As people move into towns and cities, awareness levels increase and more people take part in the exercise,” he explained.

The commissioner also credited the commission’s recently launched #NikoKadi campaign for the growing interest in voter registration across the country.

According to Mukhwana, the initiative, which was rolled out in Kasarani last week, has already begun to boost turnout at registration centres.

“We are already witnessing a surge in voter registration across the country since the NikoNakadi initiative was launched in Kasarani last week,” he said.

The campaign is aimed at encouraging more Kenyans, particularly young people, to register as voters ahead of future elections.

IEBC officials say the commission will continue to expand civic education and outreach programmes in a bid to close the generational gap and ensure broader participation in the country’s electoral process.

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