IEBC, Nakuru creatives join hands in voter registration drive

In Nakuru, voter education found an unexpected yet powerful home inside a creative space Baraza Media Lab, where art, music, and civic duty merged to inspire a new generation of voters.

In a partnership between IEBC and Baraza Media Lab, through the second edition of Acoustic Kona it became more than just a creative gathering; but one that transformed into a voter mobilization hub targeting young people ahead of the 2027 General Election.

According to Samuel Njoroge alias Priest the Poet, the Community and Operations Associate at Baraza Media Lab, the After Five Street Vibe which is known for hosting street performances, shifted the event indoors due to recent harsh weather.

That shift opened the door for a new purpose such as the voter sensitization program.

 “Moving indoors gave us the chance to rethink the event. We decided to give it a purpose and in this edition that purpose was to educate and sensitize the public on the need to become registered voters.” Say Njoroge.

He says with IEBC setting up on site, attendees were able to register as new voters, verify their details, transfer their polling stations, or update their particulars, all while enjoying live performances from local artists.

 “Baraza offered the space free of charge in line with its community engagement mandate. We want the community to know they are a part of us. This is how we show it.,” Njoroge says

Njoroge says by 6pm, at least 120 people, mostly young folks had walked into Baraza for the event, with many taking advantage of the IEBC services.

IEBC Assistant Registration Officer for Nakuru Town East, Stephanie Pelloh, confirmed the day’s progress and shared the constituency’s overall numbers.

“So far we have registered more than seven today at the Baraza Media Lab, and cumulatively at 30 people from the community,” Pelloh Says.

Nakuru Town East has so far registered a total of 1,500 new voters since the current drive began. According to Pellow the constituency has also processed 500 transfers (changes of polling station) and 30 updates (changes of personal details).

Pelloh emphasized the importance of taking voter education to platforms where young people already are.

 “Events like this help us educate the youth on the importance of registration and the importance of voting. We also conducted a live voting demonstration, guiding young attendees on how to mark ballots, identify candidates, and understand the rules around assisted voting,” she explains.

For Faith Khayanga, a Nakuru artist who attended the event to change her voting location, the integration of art and civic education is timely.

 “Art is powerful, young people resonate with it. Protesting is good, but eventually we must take the vote. That’s how we make real change,” Khayanga says.

[email protected]