We must give voter registration numbers same dignity as taxes

Voter registration exercise at Moi Avenue in Mombasa on March30, 2026. [Omondi Onyango,Standard]

As the Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration concludes, Kenya faces a familiar crisis: voter apathy. In the 2022 elections, out of 22.1 million registered voters, only about 14.3 million actually cast ballots, leaving nearly eight million eligible citizens on the sidelines.

Youth turnout remains alarmingly low despite massive outreach efforts. The Commission is targeting 6.3 million new registrants by 2027, yet early drives have yielded disappointingly few takers. The problem is not merely logistical. It is cultural and symbolic. In Kenya today, your National ID, KRA PIN, driver’s licence and academic transcripts are treated as sacred records of responsible citizenship.