By the NGOs.ke Editorial Team.
Can a Kenyan NGO run voter education ahead of the 2027 election? Yes, but the IEBC expects organisations to be accredited first. You apply through the Commission’s Accreditation Management System (AMS) at ams.iebc.or.ke, complete the Commission’s training, and receive a certificate and badges before you start. The IEBC does not pay accredited providers. As of 19 October 2026, we could not find an open call specifically for the 2027 general election, so the practical move is to prepare your documents now and watch for the notice.
Why is civic and voter education back in focus?
On 16 October 2026 the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) and the IEBC launched a civic education drive at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi under the theme “My Country, My Responsibility”. It targets hate speech and misinformation and aims to take civic and voter education to grassroots communities. The partners named were the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya and the Kenya National Prayer and Transformation Movement, and the NCIC said it would keep working with faith-based groups and other stakeholders.
The need is real. The IEBC said the voter register had grown from 22.12 million in 2022 to over 23.4 million by April 2026, and by 9 April 875,501 new voters had been registered in the latest drive. Many of them are first-time voters. Meanwhile election monitors such as ELOG have warned that reforms are running late and timelines are tight, which makes public information work harder, not easier.
Who can be an accredited voter education provider?
The IEBC’s 2025 notice invited “interested organisations” to apply as voter education providers, election observers or media practitioners. It gave no detailed eligibility list in public reporting, so confirm the current criteria on the AMS portal or with your County Election Manager. In practice, a registered NGO, CBO, faith-based group or youth network with a physical address and a clear programme is the profile the process is built around.
How do you get accredited? The process step by step
- Watch for the notice. The IEBC publishes accreditation calls on its website and social media accounts. The last voter educator call we could verify opened on 6 August 2025 and closed at 5pm on Friday, 5 September 2025.
- Get your address authenticated. Applicants were told to obtain a physical address authentication form from the County Election Manager’s office, complete it and upload it with the other documents.
- Apply online. Submissions go through the AMS at ams.iebc.or.ke. The IEBC advises having a stable internet connection when you submit.
- Complete the Commission’s training. Accredited organisations are trained before they begin, then receive certificates, identification badges and other materials.
- Work unpaid. The IEBC states it does not pay voter education providers, observers or media practitioners, so budget your own funding.
Voter educators, observers and media: what is the difference?
| Category | What you do | Recent call we verified |
|---|---|---|
| Voter education provider | Inform citizens about registration, voting procedure and rights | Aug-Sept 2025 notice (deadline 5 Sept 2025) |
| Election observer | Watch polling and tallying, report findings | June 2026 notice for the Ol Kalou by-election (deadline 30 June 2026; poll 16 July 2026) |
| Media practitioner | Report on the process from polling stations and tallying centres | Same June 2026 notice |
Note the June 2026 Ol Kalou notice covered observers and media only. Do not assume one accreditation covers every role; apply for the category you will actually work in.
What should a small NGO prepare before the call opens?
Having paperwork ready matters because by-election windows have been about four weeks long. A short checklist helps:
- Current registration documents and a valid compliance position under the PBO framework. See our guide to what NGOs must do now under the PBO Act.
- A one-page voter education plan: target wards, audience (first-time voters, women, persons with disabilities), messages and partners.
- Trained volunteers and a safeguarding policy. Our safeguarding guide covers the basics.
- A plan for fact-checked, non-partisan content. The NCIC’s focus on hate speech and misinformation means partisan or unverified material is the fastest way to lose credibility.
For the wider picture of how civil society is positioning for the vote, read how Kenya’s NGOs are strengthening democracy ahead of 2027 and our piece on Kenya’s shrinking civic space.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a fee to apply for IEBC accreditation?
Public reporting on the 2025 notice mentions no application fee. Confirm on the AMS portal before you apply.
Does the IEBC fund accredited voter educators?
No. The Commission has stated that it does not pay voter education providers, observers or media practitioners.
Where do I apply?
Through the IEBC Accreditation Management System at ams.iebc.or.ke. Your County Election Manager’s office issues the physical address authentication form.
Can I do civic education without IEBC accreditation?
General civic education on rights and governance does not need IEBC accreditation, but educating voters on electoral procedure under the Commission’s framework does. If in doubt, ask your County Election Manager.
Has the IEBC opened accreditation for the 2027 general election?
We found no such notice as of 19 October 2026. Check iebc.or.ke and its social accounts regularly.
Sources: Capital FM, 16 Oct 2026; Capital FM, April 2026; The Star, 6 Aug 2025; The Star, 2 June 2026.
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