In a welcome and significant shift, Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) announced plans that could resolve long-standing barriers to Diaspora voting. If implemented, the changes would significantly expand access to the ballot for Kenyans abroad by increasing the number of polling centers and stations where they can exercise their democratic right to vote. The announcement was made at the Diaspora Trade and Investment Summit hosted by the Association of Kenyan Diaspora Organizations, Inc. (AKDOI) in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 27, 2026. Specifically, the Commission stated that it will expand access to the ballot by adding more voting locations.
A Major Paradigm Shift
The announcement was delivered by Commission Chairman Mr. Erastus Edung Ethekon, joined by Vice Chair Ms. Fahima Araphat Abdallah and Commissioner Dr. Ann Nderitu. Their attendance at the AKDOI-led Summit was itself unprecedented: three of the seven commissioners accepted the invitation and engaged directly with the Diaspora community. Their remarks signaled a notable change in tone and policy direction, reflecting both goodwill and a genuine willingness to work with Kenyans abroad. This shift marks a departure from their predecessors’ previous position, which had limited polling centers to embassies and consulates and, in effect, restricted ballot access for hundreds of thousands of eligible voters. That approach appeared to be predicated on the mistaken belief that elections in host countries could be conducted only on “sovereign” premises such as embassies and consulates. The IEBC now appears to recognize that this self-imposed limitation is not legally necessary and is willing to explore additional voting locations.
IEBC Remarks
Chairman Ethekon – In his keynote remarks, Chairman Ethekon reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to facilitating free, fair, credible, and verifiable elections at all levels, including by expanding ballot access for eligible voters in Kenya and abroad. Using the analogy of a midwife, he emphasized that IEBC’s role is to deliver the will of the voters as expressed at the ballot box, and he urged Kenyans to choose leaders carefully rather than blaming the Commission for outcomes they did not expect. He noted that Kenya’s political class consists of roughly 2,000 elected officials and questioned why such a small group should be allowed to negatively affect a nation of more than 50 million people. He also cautioned against inflammatory rhetoric that divides communities. On Diaspora voting, Chairman Ethekon cited the Commission’s outreach efforts within Kenya, including initiatives that will enable historically marginalized communities such as the Makonde to vote for the first time, and said the Commission intends to apply a similar approach in the Diaspora to increase participation.
The commissioners also acknowledged the high cost of conducting Diaspora elections, noting that approximately 490 million shillings had been spent for fewer than 10,000 votes cast in the last election. Audience members responded that low turnout was driven in part by the Commission’s own restrictions and caveats. The central point was clear: increasing the number of voting centers would improve access and significantly reduce the cost per vote. Just as voters in Kenya are not expected to travel across the country to cast their ballots, from Lamu to Garissa or Marsabit to Kakamega for example, Kenyans abroad should not face unreasonable barriers to exercising the same constitutional right. At its core, this is a matter of equal access and protection under the law.
Vice Chair Ms. Fahima Abdallah presented the Commission’s 2024–2029 Strategic Plan, described as “a unified roadmap to strengthen inclusivity, integrity, efficiency, and credibility of elections in Kenya.” She emphasized the Commission’s focus on inclusion and participation as essential to deepening democracy. To advance that goal, the Commission aims to improve efficiency, strengthen citizen engagement, promote equitable representation, and build institutional resilience.
Commissioner Dr. Ann Nderitu discussed the Commission’s Election Operations Plan (EOP), which sets out the roadmap and key timelines for delivering orderly and credible general elections scheduled for August 10, 2027. For the Diaspora, the plan includes a framework to expand participation among Kenyans living abroad through structured planning, stakeholder engagement, expanded voter registration, legal compliance, and efficient electoral operations. The Diaspora Electoral Program will be implemented in phases aligned with the electoral calendar, including strategic planning, stakeholder mapping, and country prioritization. The Commission plans to expand Diaspora voting to 17 additional countries, including Saudi Arabia, Botswana, Oman, Australia, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Ghana, Italy, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Ireland, Türkiye, Ethiopia, China, Mozambique, and Somalia. It also plans to establish mobile or additional centers in South Africa, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States in areas with large Kenyan populations.
AKDOI President David Ochwangi, the Summit’s primary organizer and one of the leading Diaspora advocates for voting access, welcomed IEBC’s new tone and called for a more collaborative approach. He emphasized that Diaspora voting is already settled by law and that the remaining barriers are logistical issues the Commission can address administratively, without intervention from Parliament, the executive, or the judiciary. Kenyans in the Diaspora, he said, are not seeking special privileges, only equal access to the ballot. “What remains is for us to work collaboratively with IEBC, build on its goodwill and genuine interest in expanding Diaspora access to the ballot, and establish the framework needed to realize Diaspora suffrage,” he said.
Next Steps – The Diaspora community now has a rare opportunity to convert this policy shift into concrete progress. To seize it, Diaspora organizations must unite as a coordinated coalition. We propose forming a representative secretariat to liaise with IEBC through a broader integrated council. Working with key stakeholders, including government missions, this body would help map Diaspora populations, mobilize and register voters, identify additional registration and polling centers, and advance the goal of full Diaspora voting access.
This is a call to action. In the coming days and weeks, we will reach out to like-minded individuals and organizations to launch this effort, develop a shared plan, and carry it forward together. We invite all who support expanded Diaspora voting access to join us, pool resources, and help turn this vision into reality.
