Media personality and politician Tony Gachoka has publicly challenged the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) over its recent directive that Kenyans who registered as voters before 2012 must undergo fresh registration to be included in the current biometric Register of Voters (RoV).
Speaking on social media, Gachoka accused the commission and the state of engaging in political “games” that could disenfranchise long‑standing voters.
“IEBC and William Ruto, your games won’t work!” he said in a statement that sharply questioned the timing and clarity of the announcement.
Gachoka’s remarks centre on IEBC Chair Erastus Ethekon’s assertion that the biometric voter register was established in 2012 and that individuals who registered before that year may not be included unless they re‑registered under the modern system.
“We know that in 2012, IEBC conducted fresh voter registration using biometric kits for the first time,” Gachoka said, referring to the mass exercise that captured fingerprints and facial data ahead of the 2013 general election.
He emphasised that Kenyans who voted in 2013, 2017 and 2022 did so under a biometric system and should not be excluded now.
“Those voters are already registered using biometrics,” he added.
Gachoka urged IEBC to stop issuing statements that risk public confusion and uncertainty ahead of the 2027 General Election. He called on the commission to provide clear breakdowns of the national voter register, including:
The total number of verified voters nationally and by county;
The exact number of registered voters per county whose biometrics were not captured in 2012 and who have therefore not had the opportunity to vote since 2013.
“These figures are essential for public confidence,” Gachoka said, arguing that the absence of detailed breakdowns fuels speculation about data gaps and the integrity of the register.
The IEBC’s announcement forms part of its ongoing Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR) drive, which began on March 30 and runs until April 28, 2026, aiming to add 2.5 million new voters to the register.
As of early April, more than 344,000 new voters had enrolled, along with over 18,000 transfer requests and several hundred updates of particulars.
Critics like Gachoka argue that while updating the register is a legitimate administrative task, it must be accompanied by transparent data and clear communication to avoid perceptions of manipulation.
Gachoka reiterated that the commission must publish verified statistics that reflect the scope and scale of the register, county by county, to build trust ahead of the 2027 polls