The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has called on community-based organisations (CBOs), self-help groups, and other bodies representing youth, women, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and ethnic minorities in Kiambu County to register with their county office by October 30, 2026. This initiative aims to strengthen the involvement of marginalized communities in electoral activities. Registered organisations will be able to partner with the Commission in reaching the people they serve.
To register, organisations must provide their registration certificate, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) PIN certificate, category of organisation, contact details, physical address, and county of operation. Once registered, each category of organisation will appoint team leaders under the guidance of IEBC County Election Managers. The county-level structures are meant to improve coordination and engagement with marginalized groups.
According to guidelines from the Social Services office in Kiambu, a new self-help group or CBO must present a current constitution, a membership list of at least 10 people, registration minutes, copies of members’ identification documents, a group email address, and a completed registration form. The registration certificates cost Sh1,050 for self-help groups and Sh5,050 for CBOs. Membership cards for self-help groups cost Sh100 each.
Self-help groups and CBOs that wish to renew or replace their certificates must submit an updated constitution, minutes authorizing the renewal or replacement, an updated membership list, copies of members’ identification documents, a group email address, and a completed renewal form. The IEBC has been working to make voter registration and polling services more accessible to people with disabilities.
In April, IEBC held a stakeholder forum in Kiambu Town that brought together women, PWDs, and registration officials. The forum discussed measures to make voter registration and polling services more accessible to people with disabilities, ahead of the 2027 General Election. Kiambu Constituency Registration Officer Beatrice Muli said that IEBC had moved away from office-based registration towards a community-centred approach.
Beatrice Muli assured PWDs that officers would be available near polling stations, saying they “will find IEBC officers within the vicinity.” She also urged women leaders in Kiambu to encourage civic participation in their households and community groups and asked parents to remind young people to register and vote. Nationally, IEBC has linked a rise in new voters to the wider availability of registration points.
Community groups are seen as a link between electoral bodies and residents who are hard to reach through conventional channels. Registered organisations in Kiambu are expected to support civic education and mobilization in their own communities. Organisations interested in partnering with IEBC should submit their documents to the Commission’s county office before the October 30 deadline. Groups with expired certificates should renew them through the Social Services office without delay.
Key points
- IEBC aims to promote inclusion and participation of ethnic minorities and other marginalized groups throughout the electoral cycle.
- Organisations must register by October 30, 2026, to partner with IEBC in reaching marginalized communities.
- Registered organisations will support civic education and mobilization in their communities.
