NAIROBI, Kenya Mar 4 – The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has rolled out a special voter registration drive targeting young Kenyans at Uhuru Park, running from Wednesday to Saturday, as part of efforts to increase youth participation ahead of the 2027 elections.Registration desks have been set up alongside the ongoing People’s Dialogue Festival, a civic engagement forum bringing together citizens, political leaders, and civil society groups to discuss governance, democracy, and public accountability.In a video message, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon urged young people to take advantage of the initiative.“Young Kenyans, we are bringing voter registration closer to you at Uhuru Park during the People’s Dialogue Festival. Come in large numbers, register, and join the conversation,” said Ethekon.The Commission said the move is aimed at making voter registration more accessible to first-time voters, who represent a significant portion of the country’s population.Youth Registration NumbersDespite ongoing outreach efforts, youth registration has remained below expectations. According to the latest IEBC reports, by late 2025,over 90,000 new voters had been registered nationwide since the enhanced Continuous Voter Registration drive began.Only a small fraction of these were young Kenyans aged 18–35, prompting the Commission to intensify direct engagement strategies.The IEBC hopes to register at least 6.3 million new voters ahead of the 2027 polls, an increase that would expand the national electorate to over 28 million.