The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has reassured Kenyans about the security and integrity of the national voter register.
The Commission defended its cooperation with government agencies in handling and verifying voter information.
In a Monday press release, the Commission expressed concern about recent comments from the Democratic Party (DP) concerning its interaction with the National Registration Bureau regarding voter registration details and identity authentication.
IEBC stressed that its actions are based on legal foundations, referencing Article 88(4) of the Constitution and sections of the Elections Act, 2011, which require the Commission to enroll voters and maintain a precise, current register.
“To fulfill this constitutional and legal obligation, the Commission must collaborate with appropriate government entities that serve as the authorized holders of lawful and pertinent data necessary for carrying out its responsibilities,” the statement indicated.
The Commission detailed ongoing partnerships with multiple government organizations to enhance the reliability of the voter list.
Partners include the National Registration Bureau for verifying national identification card information, Civil Registration Services to verify death records for removing deceased individuals from the register, and the Directorate of Immigration Services to validate passport details, especially for Kenyans residing overseas.
According to IEBC, this inter-agency cooperation is a common global practice and is restricted solely to legitimate objectives including identity verification, compliance, and fraud prevention.
“Government agencies regularly establish controlled data-sharing arrangements for legitimate service provision, verification, and integrity purposes,” the Commission stated.
IEBC also revealed it has been working with the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services to create a secure Application Programming Interface (API) connected to the Integrated Population Registration System (IPRS).
The system will guarantee that only valid national identification and passport numbers are utilized in voter registration, the Commission explained.
“The voter register continues to be solely under the custody and management of the Commission,” IEBC affirmed.
The electoral body noted that voter data protection is supported by various legal frameworks, including the Constitution, the Elections Act, the Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations, 2012, and the Data Protection Act, 2019.
Simultaneously, the Commission appealed to political figures to refrain from what it described as unverified and provocative statements.
“We urge stakeholders, particularly political participants, to avoid unsupported, inflammatory, and divisive remarks that compromise both the integrity of electoral processes and the independence of the Commission,” the statement read.
IEBC stated it remains available to address any questions concerning electoral procedures as efforts persist to ensure credible and transparent elections.