Nyanza tops Kenya in voter registration ahead of 2027 polls

By Newsflash Writer

Nyanza has recorded the highest voter registration levels in the country ahead of the 2027 General Election, with a new TIFA survey showing the region outperformed all others in the proportion of residents who say they are registered to vote.

According to the survey, 83 per cent of Kenyans interviewed said they are registered voters, with Nyanza leading at 89 per cent. The region was followed by Lower Eastern and Mt Kenya at 86 per cent each, Central Rift at 85 per cent, Northern at 84 per cent, Nairobi at 83 per cent, Coast at 82 per cent, Western at 74 per cent and South Rift at 66 per cent, the lowest in the country.

TIFA, however, cautioned against equating voter registration with eventual turnout on election day. “However, based on past (official) results, voter registration is never a precise indicator of actual voter turnout,” the pollster said.

The survey also found no significant difference in voter registration between supporters and opponents of the Broad-Based Government, suggesting political affiliation has had little impact on whether Kenyans have registered.

Young voters lag behind

Despite the high national registration rate, the poll revealed a wide age gap among registered voters. Only 72 per cent of respondents aged below 35 said they were registered, compared with 96 per cent among those aged 35 years and above.

Registration stood at 57 per cent among those aged 18 to 24 years, rising to 85 per cent for those aged 25 to 34 years, 95 per cent among respondents aged 35 to 44 years and 97 per cent for those aged 45 years and above.

Among respondents who had not registered, 37 per cent cited the lack of a national identity card or other required documents as the main obstacle.

Another 22 per cent said they lacked time to register, while an equal proportion said they had little interest in voting or politics.

TIFA said the findings point to the need for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the National Registration Bureau to intensify efforts to help more young Kenyans obtain identity cards and register as voters ahead of 2027.