By Esther Murigi,
Nairobi has so far received 4,804 new registered voters, as well as 1,105 voter transfers and 10 corrections of particulars. Mombasa County has emerged second with 1,379 new voter registrations, alongside 481 transfers and 8 amendments.
Close behind is Kiambu County, which has recorded 1,203 newly registered voters, 282 transfers, and 5 changes to particulars. Kiambu’s proximity to Nairobi, youth population, and large number of tertiary institutions have contributed to the rising figures.
Others include Kilifi with 673 new registrations and 153 transfers, Machakos with 923 new voters and 41 transfers, Kakamega with 608 new registrations and 2 transfers, Meru with 424 new voters and 43 transfers, Nakuru with 840 new registrations and 277 transfers, and Kisii with 728 new voters and 42 transfers. Counties such as Garissa, which has recorded 263 new voters, Uasin Gishu with 341 new registrations, Kisumu with 376 new voters, Bungoma at 456, and Nyeri with 244 new registrations, also fall in the mid-range of the current tally.
At the lower end are the remote counties like Lamu with 36 new registrations, Tana River with 42, Turkana with 148, Elgeyo Marakwet with 75, Marsabit with 142, and Isiolo with 81. IEBC officials attribute the slower numbers in these regions to distance from registration centers, ongoing by-election restrictions in affected areas, and infrastructural challenges.
In total, the report shows 20,754 new voter registrations, 3,207 transfers, and 61 corrections of details. The Commission has clarified that CVR is not being conducted in 24 electoral areas where by-elections are scheduled for 27th November 2025. The Chairperson, Erastus Edung Ethekon, confirmed in the document that the numbers reflect only the active CVR zones and do not include diaspora, prison, or special category registrations that will be factored in later phases.
Even though the 2027 race is still two years away, many aspirants and political strategists are quietly treating voter registration numbers as an early indicator of ground strength. A former MP from Western Kenya remarked that politicians cannot wait until 2026 to start mobilizing, warning that counties that lag now may regret it when numbers begin determining party nominations and coalition deals. Several political parties have reportedly issued internal circulars urging organizers to monitor IEBC registration centers in more contested areas.
IEBC is expected to continue updating the public as numbers change. Analysts predict that once the Commission expands CVR kits to remote counties and concludes the by-elections in late November, the lead may shift.
The Author is Esther Murigi certified Broadcast Journalist