IEBC Says It Is Not Deleting Pre-2012 Voter Data, Clarifies Who Must Re-Register

IEBC Says It Is Not Deleting Pre-2012 Voter Data, Clarifies Who Must Re-Register

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has issued a clarification to address growing public concern over the status of voter records registered before 2012, assuring Kenyans that no data has been deleted and that only a specific group of voters is required to register afresh.

In a statement released on Saturday, April 4, the electoral body moved to dispel confusion triggered by an earlier communication that suggested some individuals who registered before 2012 might need to undergo fresh registration.

The clarification comes amid widespread public debate and speculation, with many Kenyans expressing concern over whether older voter records had been invalidated ahead of future electoral processes.

According to the commission, the requirement for fresh registration does not apply to all voters who enrolled before 2012. Instead, it is limited to those who did not transition into the biometric voter registration system introduced following electoral reforms.

“Consequently, individuals who had previously enrolled as voters before 2012 are not part of the current biometric Register of Voters unless they subsequently presented themselves for fresh registration,” IEBC stated.

The commission explained that Kenya’s current Register of Voters (RoV) was established after the promulgation of the Constitution of Kenya, which ushered in significant electoral reforms. Among these was the adoption of biometric voter registration technology, replacing the earlier manual system.

Prior to 2012, voter registration was conducted manually, meaning that records from that period were not automatically migrated into the new digital database. As a result, only those who re-registered under the biometric system are included in the current register.

IEBC emphasized that the biometric register, in use since 2013, remains intact and credible, dismissing claims that older data had been erased or compromised.

“The current biometric register has been in continuous use since 2013 and remains an accurate and reliable database,” the commission affirmed.

By the time of the 2022 General Election, the register had undergone an audit and included over 22 million voters, a figure the commission cited as evidence of its integrity and comprehensiveness.

The initial confusion arose from wording in the earlier statement, which indicated that individuals registered before 2012 were not part of the current biometric RoV unless they had re-registered. This led some members of the public to interpret the message as a directive for a blanket re-registration exercise.

However, IEBC has now clarified that the directive targets only a small segment of eligible voters—those who may have registered under the manual system but did not participate in the biometric registration rollout and have not updated their details since.

The commission reassured voters that there is no need for alarm, stressing that the majority of Kenyans already captured in the biometric system are not affected.

“There is no cause for alarm. The requirement applies only to individuals who did not present themselves for biometric registration and are therefore not in the current register,” the statement added.

Observers note that voter register integrity is a critical component of electoral credibility, particularly as the country prepares for future elections. Clear communication from the electoral body is therefore essential to maintaining public trust.

The IEBC’s clarification is expected to ease concerns among voters while encouraging those not yet captured in the biometric system to take the necessary steps to register.

As Kenya continues to refine its electoral processes, the commission’s emphasis on a secure and verifiable voter database underscores its commitment to transparency and accountability in managing elections.

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IEBC Says It Is Not Deleting Pre-2012 Voter Data, Clarifies Who Must Re-Register