The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is weighing a radical reform: scrapping voter cards entirely in the run-up to the 2027 General Election. In a move that could reshape Kenya’s electoral landscape, the Commission says national ID cards or passports may soon be the sole documents needed to register and vote.
This bold proposal — backed by ODM leader Raila Odinga — seeks to streamline voter registration through biometric identification systems, rendering physical voter cards redundant. Insiders argue that the costly production and replacement of voter cards has become outdated in the digital age.
“The voter card is largely ceremonial. It helps politicians estimate vote blocks, not secure the vote,” an IEBC official revealed.
Instead, IEBC wants to rely on its Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS), which captures fingerprints, facial data, and possibly iris scans — especially for individuals like farmers and quarry workers whose fingerprints are hard to scan.
A Digital Leap or a Backdoor for Fraud?
But the proposal is triggering political tremors. Critics fear it could open the floodgates to election fraud — especially after President William Ruto controversially lifted the decades-old vetting requirement for ID issuance in Northern Kenya, a region long plagued by insecurity and irregular migration.
The vetting process, introduced after the 1960s Shifta War, was aimed at preventing non-citizens from infiltrating Kenya’s civil registry. With its removal, opposition leaders and security hawks now warn of potential mass registration of foreigners ahead of 2027.
“This is not just a procedural change. It’s a political weapon,” said Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya. “You remove vetting, and you risk exposing the country to infiltration and terrorism under the guise of inclusivity.”
Wiper-aligned leaders like Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi are calling for caution, urging the government to present a foolproof hybrid plan: “Let IDs and voter cards work hand in hand for now. The stakes are too high to gamble.”
Raila’s ID-Only Crusade
At the heart of the push is Raila Odinga, who has repeatedly argued that requiring a voter card unfairly locks out Kenyans in marginalized areas from the ballot. He’s called for sweeping electoral reforms and now wants ID-only voting to be enshrined in law.
“Why make it harder to vote when our systems can securely verify someone using biometrics?” Raila posed during a recent interview.
Election experts like Marcus Agenga of ELOG agree — to a point. He supports harmonizing voter and civil registration but warns the legal framework must catch up to protect data, manage capacity, and ensure no one is left out.
“Let’s be honest. The cost of repeated voter registration is huge. But moving to ID-only voting must be tightly regulated,” Agenga said.
Refugee Cards & Digital Registration
Adding to the controversy, the government has announced that refugees will now be issued official ID cards — recognized for accessing mobile services, SIM registration, and potentially voting. This development has fueled fresh fears of “ballot stuffing through policy.”
At the same time, Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen says mobile ID registration kits are now being deployed to remote regions, with applicants receiving IDs in as little as three days. He claims over 400,000 ID-less Kenyans will now be able to participate in elections.
Yet, critics argue this infrastructure could be manipulated by political operatives to create artificial voting blocs, especially after Ruto’s fallout with his former deputy Rigathi Gachagua, now leader of the Democratic Citizens Party (DCP).
Former National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi says the move may violate the Constitution. He insists that unless the law is amended, voter registration must remain a separate and continuous process from ID issuance.
“The IEBC can’t just scrap voter registration. Article 88(4)(a) mandates continuous registration of citizens as voters,” Muturi warned.
However, IEBC insiders counter that the 2011 Elections Act already allows a person whose name and biometric data are entered into the register and who produces an ID to vote — with or without a voter card.
A Political Minefield
As the 2027 elections inch closer — with Ruto and Raila now awkward allies and new power centers like Gachagua’s DCP rising — every move around the voter register is being viewed through a political lens.
The battle lines are drawn: Raila and reformists want tech-driven, inclusive voting. The government is touting efficiency and inclusion. The opposition and regional leaders, however, smell a sinister plot.
“What starts as a systems upgrade could very well be the beginning of a new election heist,” warned one senior political analyst.
Whether Kenya is heading toward a more inclusive digital democracy or dancing on the edge of electoral chaos remains to be seen. One thing is clear — the fight for the 2027 voter register has officially begun.
