Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Director of Voter Education and Partnerships Joyce Ekuam has announced that iris scanning in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) is not compulsory.
Speaking on Tuesday, September 30, Ekuam said IEBC officials can bypass the step if an individual is not comfortable with the iris scan.
“In as much as we have included the iris, it is not compulsory; we can bypass and not take it with our KIEMS kits if you are not comfortable with it,” said Ekuam.
The clarification comes after a section of Kenyans online expressed fears over IEBC’s move to introduce iris scanning in voter registration.
The social media users alleged that the iris scanning process infringed on the data privacy law.
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IEBC Commissioner Ann Nderitu on Monday revealed that the electoral body has made changes to its voter registration system.
Speaking during an interview, Nderitu said IEBC has replaced the Biometric Voter Registration System (BVR) kits with tablets.
She also disclosed that the commission will capture the fingerprints and iris of voters in the voter registration system.
“We have also enhanced the features of that tablet. The registration system is now able to capture not only your fingerprints but also your iris, and it’s faster than the previous one,” Nderitu stated.
IEBC launched the continuous voter registration drive on Monday ahead of the 2027 general election.
The electoral body is planning to register 6.3 million new voters by the end of the exercise. In the ongoing phase, IEBC is targeting 10 percent of the 6.3 million target.
The first enhanced CVR, accounting for 40 percent of the target, will be conducted after the conclusion of the November 27, 2025, by-elections. IEBC will then conduct the second enhancement CVR in the next financial year.
To be eligible for voter registration, one must be a Kenyan citizen and of the age of 18 years and above.
Applicants are also required to have a valid Kenyan Identity Card (ID) or a valid Kenyan Passport and must not have registered as a voter before.
