Nairobi — The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has confirmed a new, data-driven approach to tackling the pervasive issue of voter apathy ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Rather than immediately launching large-scale civic campaigns, the Commission is prioritizing targeted research in the 22 recent by-election areas conducted on November 27th to diagnose the root causes of non-participation.
During an interview on Capital FM,IEBC Commissioner Anne Nderitu revealed that the key to unlocking voter turnout lies in understanding the complex reasons why millions of Kenyans, particularly the youth, are staying away from the ballot.
"We are conducting a research, we conduct a research within the by-election areas to really find out why did they not come out to vote?"she posed.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
Diagnosing the Apathy
The IEBC Commissioner stated that the IEBC's initial focus is on empirical data gathering, which will be the foundation for all future engagement efforts.
"The first thing is to understand why the apathy. I think we need to do a research, we have a research department to really get informed, and especially looking at the by-election,"she stated.
The areas included: Baringo, Mbeere North, Kasipul, Ugunja, Banissa, Malava, Magarini and wards in Kariobangi North, Fafi, Lake Zone, Narok Town, among others while no elections in Tembelio and Metkei Wards due to unopposed candidates.
This detailed assessment aims to pinpoint the specific demographic groups responsible for the apathy.
Nderitu noted that early observations from the voting lines themselves indicated a clear disparity with women above 45 years being the majority who turned out to vote in the by elections.
"For example, from the face value, from the lines and all that, you can see the older people came out, and majority of those older people who came out to vote were women,"she expressed.
The preliminary data suggests that the younger populace and men were significantly underrepresented.
"You could see that people who are lining up are older women, women above the age of 50 or 45 and above. So you can see,"Nderitu insisted.
The Ethekon Edung led commission is facing an ardous task to tailor the subsequent civic education campaign to specific demographics precisely. The IEBC will use the research findings to craft messaging that resonates with those who feel disconnected from the electoral process.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"So it's to understand what... Within these demographics, why are they not coming out? After that, we need to have a robust voter education," she noted.
