IEBC mulls expanding diaspora polling centres to 26

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is considering expanding diaspora polling centres from 12 countries covered in the 2022 General Election to 26 countries in the 2027 polls.

The proposed expansion would increase the number of countries where Kenyans living abroad can register and participate in the elections under the commission's diaspora voting framework.

For diaspora voting, each participating country is treated as a single polling centre for purposes of tallying votes, even where voting takes place at more than one Kenyan diplomatic mission within that country.

IEBC chairperson Erastus Ethekon said the commission had approved the process of mapping additional countries as it prepares to launch the second phase of Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR II).