Kivutha Kibwana warns IEBC against suppressing Gen Z ahead of 2027 elections

Ascah Mwango 06th September, 2025 10:17 AM

Former Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana has warned the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) against sidelining young voters as the country prepares for the 2027 General Election.

In a statement shared on his X account on Saturday, September 6, 2025, Kibwana said it would be a grave mistake to deny Gen Z an opportunity to take part in shaping the country’s leadership.

The former county boss emphasised the importance of ensuring that every eligible youth is allowed to participate in shaping the country’s leadership.

He urged the Registrar of Persons to prioritise the issuance of identification cards, noting that this remains the first barrier preventing millions of young people from registering as voters. Kibwana argued that the polling stations themselves should become spaces where the youth can exercise their constitutional rights, rather than feeling excluded from them.

“It will be a socio-political crime for any eligible Gen Z not to register and vote in 2027. The Registrar of Persons must ensure IDs are available for all 18+ youth. The Articles 1 and 37 mother of all protests should be at the 55,393 or so polling stations.”

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Reflecting on the 2022 elections, Kibwana pointed out that between three and four million young Kenyans above 18 years were unable to cast their votes, largely due to the lack of either identification cards or voter registration. He projected that by 2027, an additional four million Gen Z voters will become eligible, which would significantly increase the demand for registration services.

According to Kibwana, the IEBC’s current projection of registering 5.7 million new voters falls short of the actual requirement. He insisted that the electoral body should prepare to register between seven and eight million new voters to prevent the suppression of the youth vote, which he described as a powerful force capable of reshaping the country’s political landscape.

“By 2022 elections, 3-4M youth over 18 did not vote. New Gen Z voters by 2027 will be approximately 4M. Hence IEBC Kenya should register 7-8M new voters, not their 5.7M estimate. IEBC should not suppress the Gen Z vote,” Kibwana added.