IEBC Rings Alarm Over Rising Voter Apathy Among Kenyan Youth

Nairobi, Kenya — The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has warned that declining voter registration among young Kenyans threatens to erode their political influence, urging them to turn protest energy into ballot power.

Fresh statistics from the commission reveal that youth aged 18 to 34 made up just 39.84% of registered voters in 2022 — a drop of over five percentage points from the 2017 general election.

Female youth registration fell by 7.75% in the same period, while male registration declined by 2.89%. This comes despite census data showing that nearly 75% of Kenya’s population is under 35.

In theory, the numbers give young people the potential to be the country’s single most decisive voting bloc. In reality, turnout among this group has consistently lagged behind older generations, with disillusionment, difficulties obtaining IDs, frequent relocations for school or work, and doubts over the power of one’s vote often cited as barriers.

IEBC commissioner Alutalala Mukhwana said the apathy is particularly acute among the youth and cannot be fixed by registration drives alone.

“What the nation requires, particularly from our young people, is civic education not just about voting, but about our obligations to the state and the state’s obligations to us,” Mukhwana said.

To counter the trend, the IEBC plans to meet youth “at their doorsteps” specifically in the digital spaces they frequent. “Young people have moved to the internet space. We will go to them because Kenya cannot move forward without its youth,” he added.

Past elections, notably in 2002, have shown that when young voters mobilise, they can decisively shape outcomes. However, without consistent participation, their political voice is weakened.

Mulle Musau, national coordinator of the Election Observer Group (ELOG), urged young Kenyans to back their demands for change with direct electoral engagement.

“The clamour for change being driven by Gen Z must not end in the streets. Beyond protests, they must register and vote. They have the numbers to make a difference,” he said.

The IEBC is set to launch an aggressive civic education and voter registration campaign ahead of the 2027 elections, targeting universities, youth events, and online platforms. The goal: to turn Kenya’s youngest and largest demographic into a decisive force at the ballot box.