The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has unveiled a bold proposal to scrap voter cards for the 2027 Kenya General Election, advocating for full biometric verification using only national IDs or passports.
Announced by IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon, the plan aims to streamline voting, reduce costs, and curb misuse of voter cards, which the commission deems redundant due to advancements in the Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS).
The “IEBC voter card scrapping 2027” initiative has sparked heated debate, with supporters praising its efficiency and critics warning of potential voter disenfranchisement and electoral fraud risks in Kenya’s high-stakes 2027 polls.
The IEBC’s rationale centres on cost and security. Producing voter cards for over 22.1 million registered voters in 2022 cost millions, with additional expenses for replacements due to loss or damage.
An IEBC source revealed that cards are prone to misuse, particularly in border regions like the Northeastern and Coast, where lax vetting has raised concerns about foreigners voting.
“Voter cards mainly serve politicians gauging constituency demographics for NG-CDF allocation,” the source told People Daily, noting that biometric verification via KIEMS, using fingerprints and facial recognition, has been the primary identification method since 2013.
Voters would present a national ID or passport at polling stations, with details cross-checked against the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) database, ensuring accuracy.
Ethekon emphasised that the proposal, part of the Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is under review by the National Assembly and Senate.
The IEBC plans to gazette voter registration timelines in August 2025, targeting 6.3 million new voters to join the existing 22.1 million. The shift to full biometric verification aligns with global trends, as seen in Nigeria’s use of biometric Permanent Voter Cards.
However, critics like former National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi argue that scrapping voter cards without constitutional amendments violates Article 88(4), which mandates continuous voter registration. Muturi warned that relying solely on IDs could enable rigging, especially in 2027’s “do-or-die” election.
Public reaction to X reflects deep doubts. One user posted, “IEBC voter card scrapping 2027 sounds efficient, but what about rural areas with no biometric access?”
Another tweeted, “No voter cards, just IDs? This could open floodgates for fraud!” Raila Odinga, now aligned with President William Ruto, has championed the use of national IDs to boost turnout, arguing that voter cards disenfranchise marginalised groups.
Yet, a People Daily editorial cautioned that unreliable KIEMS systems, prone to server crashes and power outages, could disrupt voting in remote regions without voter cards as a backup.
The IEBC’s push for biometric reliance follows a July 2025 voter verification portal outage, which sparked fears of data loss before the system was restored.
The commission reassured Kenyans that the 22.1 million voter records from 2022 remain secure, with upgrades to enhance KIEMS and Electronic Voter Identification Device (EVID) performance. However, the outage exposed communication gaps, with voters like Nairobi’s Jane Muthoni urging better transparency.
“A heads-up before shutting systems down would ease panic,” she said. The IEBC plans to deploy 15,000 BVR kits for continuous registration, integrating data with the National Registration Bureau to remove deceased voters and add eligible ones.
Kenya’s electoral history, marked by disputed polls in 2007 and 2017, fuels concerns about the proposal’s risks. The 2024 Gen Z protests, which led to recall petitions against MPs like Esther Passaris, highlight public demand for electoral accountability.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has pledged parliamentary support for IEBC’s budget to ensure voter registration, but the High Court’s 2024 ruling on unclear recall laws underscores the need for legislative clarity.
As Ruto courts allies like Kalonzo Musyoka for 2027, the IEBC’s plan to streamline voting could reshape Kenya’s electoral landscape, but only if it balances efficiency with trust and accessibility.
