Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Director of Voter Education and Partnerships Joyce Ekuam has assured Kenyans that iris scanning in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise is not mandatory.
Speaking on Tuesday, September 30, Ekuam explained that officials can proceed with registration even if a voter declines 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,” she said.
Her remarks followed concerns raised online by Kenyans who claimed the new biometric feature may infringe on data privacy rights.
On Monday, IEBC Commissioner Ann Nderitu revealed that the electoral body has upgraded its voter registration system, replacing Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits with tablets. She confirmed the new system can capture both fingerprints and iris data.
“We have 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 said in an interview.
The commission launched the continuous voter registration drive on Monday ahead of the 2027 General Election. IEBC plans to register six point three million new voters, starting with ten percent of this target during the current phase.
The first enhanced CVR drive, accounting for forty percent of the target, will begin after the November 27, 2025 by-elections. A second enhanced phase will follow in the next financial year.
To qualify for registration, one must be a Kenyan citizen aged eighteen years or above, with either a valid National Identity Card or Passport, and must not have registered before.
