Three young men walked into the Starehe Constituency IEBC offices on Monday with one mission—register to vote and send a message that change starts with them.

Sheldon Nyawanda, Simon Mutua, and Kevin Muhia, all in their early 20s, proudly joined Kenya’s voter roll. For them, registering was not just a formality but a declaration of intent.

Nyawanda, who hopes to vie for the Umoja Two Ward representative seat, said he is determined to mobilise others. “The main reason we’re excited to be registered is because, for the first time, we’re going to have our decisions considered in governance,” he told reporters.

Mutua said he was driven by frustration over poor infrastructure in his neighbourhood. “Our leaders have taken us for granted. They’ve failed in the most basic things, like repairing roads. We must make changes,” he said.

For Muhia, registering marks a defining moment for his generation. He linked it to the recent youth-led protests against President William Ruto’s administration. “This is the best opportunity for young Kenyans who were protesting against Ruto’s misrule to come out and register. We will be able to show our displeasure with the government only through the ballot,” he said.

At the Starehe office, IEBC Assistant Registration Officer Agnes Kabarika guided the trio through the process, which took under ten minutes. They left holding registration slips—small pieces of paper carrying big expectations.

Who Can Register?

The voter registration exercise is open to all Kenyan citizens aged 18 and above. Services include:

• First-time registration.

• Correction or updating of details.

• Transfer to a new constituency.

• Verification of voter records.

Applicants must present a valid ID or passport, must not have registered before, must not have committed an election offence in the past five years, and must be of sound mind. Registration is available at all constituency offices, except those with ongoing by-elections.

As Nyawanda, Mutua, and Muhia left the IEBC premises, their message was clear: young Kenyans are no longer content to sit on the sidelines. For them, registering to vote is the first real step to challenging failed leadership.