The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) has called for greater inclusion of older persons in Kenya’s electoral and political processes, warning that their voices are often missing from key discussions ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The concerns were raised during a dialogue with older members of society in Kisii, where participants discussed the challenges limiting their involvement in elections and governance and proposed ways of making the electoral process more accessible and inclusive.
The call comes as Kenya’s older population continues to grow, with the number of people aged 60 years and above projected to increase from 2.9 million in 2024 to 3.4 million by 2030 and 4.2 million by 2035, according to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS). The population stood at an estimated 2.7 million in 2020.
The 2019 census showed that older persons made up 5.8 per cent of Kenya’s population, although their share differed widely across counties.
Murang’a, Nyeri and Vihiga recorded proportions of more than 10 per cent, while Nairobi, Garissa, Wajir and Mandera had less than three per cent.
NGEC said the rising number of older Kenyans should make their involvement in civic and electoral affairs an important issue as the country prepares for the next General Election.
“Older persons are not merely voters. They are custodians of knowledge and culture, community leaders, mentors, peacebuilders and influential voices capable of shaping responsible political participation,” NGEC said.
The commission said older persons have an important place in promoting peaceful elections, responsible leadership and respect for national values because of their experience and influence within families, religious institutions and communities.
However, participants at the Kisii meeting said older people were often excluded from public meetings, civic education programmes, political party structures and other platforms where decisions on elections and governance are discussed.
“In some cases, they are treated only as a reliable voting bloc rather than as citizens whose views should shape party manifestos, nomination processes, public policy and leadership priorities,” NGEC said.
The concerns arise against the backdrop of a large national electorate. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) registered 22,120,458 voters for the 2022 General Election, an increase of 12.79 per cent from the 19,611,423 registered in 2017.
The 2022 register covered 46,229 polling stations across the country.
Among the challenges identified by participants were inadequate access to electoral information and limited support for older persons during voter registration.
They also pointed to registration and polling centres that may not be easily accessible, long queues, difficulties with mobility and health-related challenges. Participants further questioned whether enough attention is given to the needs of older persons living with disabilities.
Data from the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey shows that 15 per cent of Kenyans aged five years and above reported some difficulty in at least one of six functional areas.
Five per cent reported having a lot of difficulty or being unable to function in at least one area, while mobility and vision difficulties were each reported by two per cent of the population.
The Kisii dialogue also brought attention to the privacy and dignity of older voters who need help casting their ballots, especially those with visual impairments.
NGEC said older women may experience additional difficulties because of gender discrimination, harmful cultural practices, unequal access to property and economic resources, limited opportunities to take up leadership roles, online harassment and violence.
“These intersecting inequalities can discourage them from participating as voters, candidates, party officials, election observers and civic educators,” the commission said.
NGEC said tackling the barriers would help ensure older persons are able to take part meaningfully in elections, while also giving them a stronger role in political, civic and community decision-making.