Kenya voter registration drive targets young people ahead of 2027 general election

Kenya on Monday kicked off a drive to register new voters ahead of next year's general election, with youths using TikTok reels and music to shake off apathy among their peers.

In June 2024, a wave of protests led by the so-called "Gen Z" swept the country after President William Ruto announced tax hikes, denting his popularity among young people.

They escalated into wider unrest over corruption and rights abuses and left more than 100 people dead and dozens others missing, according to rights groups.

While the protests have faded, many youths remain disillusioned with the Ruto administration, which came to power promising to uplift the young and the poor.

"People are suffering, people are dying. Money is just getting lost out of thin air," said 21-year-old Mark Kipchumba, citing economic hardship and rampant corruption as the catalyst for registering as a first-time voter.

The 30-day mass voter registration drive launched by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) aims to enlist at least 2.5 million new voters in its first phase.

The commission says it hopes to add 6.3 million new voters before next year's election, 70 percent of them youths.

"I am here because of the hope that this card brings for the future," Peter Mawangi,22, a film student at Multimedia University of Kenya told AFP.

Despite the current low numbers, a youth-led campaign, called #NikoKadi (I have the voter's card), is steadily turning voter registration into a fad by urging new voters to enlist.

TikTok reels, discounts and music

From TikTok reels to businesses offering discounts to those registered and a planned music concert in May requiring a voter's card for entry, young people are deploying creative tactics to drive up registration.

Activist Ademba Allans, the brains behind the #NikoKadi drive, says the mobilisation is gaining momentum, but added, "apathy is one of the main things that we are trying to fight."

Kenya's 2022 election saw its lowest turnout in 15 years, with youth -- who make up a large share of the population -- accounting for just 39.8 percent of registered voters, a 5.2-point drop from 2017, according to the Kofi Annan Foundation.

Allans hopes to change this and the east African nation’s politics, long dominated by politicians widely seen as out of touch with the realities of young Kenyans.

"We want to shift the system. We want to take everybody that is in the government home," the 26-year old said.

Velma Omondi, a 22-year-old, said she threatened "to cut off" two friends if they did not register, which they did.

"I gave them an ultimatum," she said.

"We cannot call for change if we are not willing to take part in the change," she added.