The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has clarified the circumstances surrounding a voter registration exercise at Kenyatta University following the circulation of a video on social media.
In a statement, the Commission said eligible Kenyan citizens have a constitutional right to register as voters and vote at a polling station of their choice.
IEBC clarified that voter transfer services are currently available only at its constituency offices across the country.
”It is a Constitutional right for every eligible Kenyan citizen to apply for registration and vote at any polling station of choice. Voter transfer services are currently offered at our constituency offices across the country and NOT in any other place,” read part of the statement.
The Commission is also conducting Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) at all 290 constituency offices, Huduma Centres and its Customer Experience Centre at Anniversary Towers in Nairobi.
However, IEBC said it may deploy voter registration kits to strategic locations when necessary to make the registration process more accessible to eligible citizens.
It explained that the deployment at Kenyatta University was part of such an exercise.
The Commission further clarified that acknowledgement slips are issued only to newly registered voters.
Those seeking to transfer their voting station do not receive the slips since they are already registered in the voters’ register.
IEBC also stressed that it does not direct, compel or influence voters to choose a particular polling station, saying its responsibility is to facilitate the registration of eligible Kenyans.
“The role of the IEBC is to facilitate the registration of eligible Kenyans as voters and DOES NOT direct, compel or influence voters to select a particular polling station,” read the statement.
The Commission said it has taken the allegations raised in the circulating video seriously and is working with relevant government agencies to establish what happened and take appropriate action, including making arrests where necessary.
IEBC has urged the public not to interfere with its electoral processes and to rely on official communication from the Commission.
It also cautioned Kenyans against spreading misinformation that could disrupt peaceful coexistence.
“The Commission further urges members of the public to rely only on official information from the Commission and cautions against use of misinformation to disrupt peaceful co-existence among Kenyans,” IEBC said.
