By Rebecca Odhiambo
This link circulating on WhatsApp claims that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has launched a “2026 Recruitment Intake’’ to fill 5750 vacancies ahead of upcoming electoral activities in 2027. The advertisement states that applications are open until July 31, 2026, and directs applicants to submit their applications through the website provided in the message.
The message posted by the website presents itself as an official IEBC recruitment notice and claims that successful applicants will be contacted within 14 days after applying. It further states that the commission is seeking to recruit thousands of employees in preparation for further electoral activities.
BACKGROUND
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission is Kenya’s constitutional body established under Article 88 of the constitution to conduct and supervise elections and referendums. Its mandate includes registering voters, reviewing electoral boundaries, regulating the electoral process, registering candidates and political parties, facilitating voter education, conducting elections, and announcing official election results.
Ahead of the 2022 General Election, IEBC officially advertised 418,442 temporary positions, including Presiding Officers, Deputy Presiding Officers, Polling Clerks, ICT Clerks, Logistics Officers, and Voter Educators. After deployment and other election-related activities, the total number of temporary election officials engaged reached 510,770.
With Kenya gearing up for the 2027 General Election, public interest in employment opportunities at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is high. As a result, the claim has gained significant traction across social media platforms.
VERIFICATION
A review of publicly available information shows that IEBC has repeatedly warned Kenyans about fraudulent job advertisements. In February 2026, the commission stated that the only authentic source of employment information is its official web portal and urged the public to disregard recruitment notices shared through unofficial websites and social media channels.
More significantly, on June 18, 2026, IEBC specifically flagged this advertisement as fake. In a public statement, the commission distanced itself from the purported recruitment exercise and warned members of the public against submitting applications or personal information through the links provided in the advertisement.
To further verify the authenticity of the recruitment website, Piga Firimbi conducted a WHOIS search on both IEBC’s official domain and the domain used in the recruitment advertisement, before comparing the results.
Comparison of the WHOIS records for IEBC’s official domain and the domain used in the purported recruitment advertisement
The image above compares the WHOIS records of the two domains. On the left is the registration result for IEBC’s official website, which was registered on September 29, 2010, demonstrating that it is a long-established and legitimate domain. On the right is the WHOIS result for the website linked in the purported recruitment advertisement. The records show that it was registered on June 23, 2026, through a commercial registrar and is valid for just one year. The stark difference in registration history, coupled with the use of a .site domain instead of IEBC’s official .or.ke domain, strongly indicates that the recruitment website is not affiliated with the electoral commission and was likely created to impersonate it.
The website cited in the claim is not associated with IEBC as it directs applicants to a third-party website rather than IEBC’s official recruitment portal.
When one attempts to apply using the link, one is required to enter one’s name, date of birth, and other personal details. Then you are required to share the application with multiple WhatsApp groups or contacts before proceeding. Genuine government recruitment exercises do not usually require applicants to share links on WhatsApp to complete an application.
Screengrab of the webpage instructing applicants to share the application with 5 WhatsApp groups or 15 contacts before submission
Additionally, comparing the 5,750 vacancies claimed in the advertisement with the 510,770 temporary election officials engaged by IEBC during the 2022 General Election shows a significant discrepancy. The claim that IEBC is recruiting only 5,750 staff to prepare for the 2027 General Election is inconsistent with the scale of personnel required to conduct a nationwide election, further casting doubt on the advertisement’s authenticity.
VERDICT
The link advertising jobs at the IEBC is FAKE.
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