Lamu Records Only One Voter Registration as National Turnout Remains Low

Lamu County has registered just one new voter since the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission relaunched the Continuous Voter Registration exercise four days ago, highlighting significant disparities in voter registration uptake across the country.

The coastal county’s dismal figures stand in stark contrast to Nairobi, which has recorded 1,597 new registrants in the same period, according to a press statement issued by IEBC on Friday.

The electoral commission, which resumed the CVR exercise on Monday, September 29, has registered a total of 7,048 new voters nationally as of October 2.

An additional 259 voters successfully transferred their registration to new preferred electoral areas, while eight updated their personal details.

Mombasa County came second with 556 new registrations, followed by Kiambu at 386, Kisii at 312, and Machakos at 260.

Samburu County also recorded low numbers with only 18 new registrants, while Nyamira managed just 10.

IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon has called on eligible Kenyans, particularly youth and first-time voters, to take advantage of the registration window. “Together, let us strengthen our democracy, safeguard our institutions, and secure the future of our nation,” he said.

The commission has introduced enhanced biometric registration features this year, adding iris recognition to the existing fingerprint and facial recognition methods.

IEBC described iris recognition as “the most robust and fraud-resistant recognition method,” which will provide an alternative means of voter identification should fingerprint recognition fail.

The voter registration exercise is being conducted across the country except in electoral areas where by-elections are scheduled for November 27, 2025.

The commission has assured citizens of strict compliance with the Data Protection Act, 2019, emphasizing that all collected information will be securely stored and accessed only by authorized officers.

“Any unauthorized access, misuse, or compromise of voter data will attract the full sanctions of the law,” the statement warned.

The low turnout in several counties raises concerns about voter apathy and the commission’s ability to meet registration targets ahead of future electoral events.

IEBC has pledged to implement robust monitoring mechanisms and sustained civic awareness initiatives to enhance participation and uphold the integrity of the registration exercise.