The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has confirmed that voter registration has kicked off countrywide.

Here is the message from IEBC“The Commission is hereby calling upon all eligible Kenyans who have attained the age of 18 years and above and are not registered as voters to visit any of the IEBC constituency offices across the country to register as voters in the ongoing voter registration exercise,” a statement sent to media houses Thursday read. The announcement came days after some politicians lashed out at the commission for starting the exercise silently. “Pursuant to the provisions of section 5(1) of the Elections Act 2011, registration of voters and revision of the register of voters shall be carried out at all times except in the case of a General Election, by-election and in any other case between the declaration of the vacancy of the seat concerned and date of such by election,” the release read in part. However, the commission complained that it had financial constraints and thus was forced to conduct the exercise only at constituency offices. “Due to constrained resources, the Commission has flagged off continuous voter registration at all the IEBC Constituency offices across the country. “To bring the services closer to the voters and to be able to reach out to all potential and eligible voters, the Commission is in the meantime seeking additional resources to support the registration exercise at the ward level,” read the statement. In regard to regions with pending electoral petitions and those preparing for by-elections, the commission clarified that residents will have to wait until the cases are heard and determined or until the by-elections are conducted in order for them to register.