The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has stepped up efforts to win back the trust of young Kenyans ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The Commission is also warning young voters about growing threats that could undermine the electoral process, including misinformation, hate speech, vote buying and political violence.
The concerns emerged during a Coast Regional Electoral Stakeholder and Youth Consultative Forum convened by HURIA on Tuesday.
IEBC Vice Chairperson Fahima Abdallah, OGW, and Commissioner Prof Francis Aduol represented the Commission at the forum, which brought together young people, electoral stakeholders and development partners.
The meeting focused on youth participation, electoral integrity and ways of rebuilding the relationship between young people and the State ahead of the 2027 polls.
IEBC said it is planning to give young people a bigger role in the electoral process by recruiting them as polling officials and engaging youth-led organisations in voter education.
The Commission will also use social media to reach young voters and conduct voter registration and voter education in universities and other areas with large youth populations.
However, IEBC identified seven major threats that could affect youth participation and the credibility of the 2027 elections.
They include misinformation and disinformation, hate speech, political intolerance, electoral violence, vote buying, ethnic mobilisation and cyberbullying.
The Commission urged young people to use social media responsibly and avoid spreading unverified information that could heighten political tensions.
The focus on young voters comes after the 2024 Gen Z protests, which demonstrated the growing influence of young Kenyans in national politics and the power of social media in organising political action.
IEBC has since sought to increase its engagement with young people as it prepares for the next General Election.
The Commission has also warned political actors against spreading unverified claims about election manipulation, saying such claims could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon recently urged politicians to allow the Commission to perform its constitutional mandate instead of making claims that could create mistrust ahead of the polls.
The Commission says continuous engagement with young people will be critical in ensuring a peaceful and credible 2027 election.
With politicians already positioning themselves for the next election, IEBC faces the challenge of convincing a politically active generation to participate in the electoral process while protecting itself against the misinformation and mistrust that have increasingly shaped political debates.