Matiang’i tells IEBC to prioritise Mass Voter Registration ahead of 2027 polls

Former Interior Cabinet Secretary and Jubilee Party Deputy Leader Dr Fred Matiang’i called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to urgently roll out a nationwide mass voter registration exercise in 2026, saying broad participation will be key to political change in the 2027 General Election.

In a New Year message addressed to Kenyans at home and in the diaspora, Matiang’i said the country had endured a difficult 2025 marked by a rising cost of living, declining healthcare services, growing insecurity and increased school dropouts linked to delayed government funding for free education programmes.

He warned that without decisive interventions in 2026, Kenya risks sliding further into poverty and what he described as “dehumanising living conditions,” largely driven by entrenched corruption and inequitable distribution of public resources.

“Unless substantial efforts are made in 2026, our country will continue sliding into the abyss,” Matiang’i said, faulting the government over what he termed endemic corruption and ineptitude in public service delivery.

Positioning himself within the United Opposition, Matiang’i said the opposition would intensify efforts to hold the government accountable and prevent further economic and leadership decline. He pledged to traverse all parts of the country to mobilise citizens around what he called a message of hope amid growing public frustration.

With an eye on the 2027 General Election, Matiang’i urged eligible Kenyans—particularly the youth—to register as voters in large numbers, arguing that electoral participation is the most effective route to restoring accountable leadership.

To achieve this, he said the IEBC must open voter registration centres widely, including in universities and colleges, to make the process more accessible to young people.

“We will only restore good leadership in our beloved country if we turn out in the requisite numbers at the polling booths in 2027,” he said.

Matiang’i also criticised the Kenya Kwanza administration, warning that the country could not afford another term under a government he accused of eroding development gains made by previous administrations.

He called on citizens to remain hopeful and engaged as the country heads toward the next general election.