Kenyan Diaspora in Canada Advocates for Full Voting Rights Ahead of 2027 Polls

As Kenya approaches its 2027 general election, the Kenyan community in Canada is pushing for reforms that would secure full political participation for citizens living abroad. Advocates are calling for mechanisms that go beyond presidential voting, including dedicated parliamentary representation for the diaspora.

During Kenya’s 62nd Independence Day celebrations in Ontario, leaders of the Kenyan Canadian Association, along with Kenya’s High Commissioner to Canada, Carolyne Kamende Daudi, emphasized the importance of enfranchising more than one million Kenyans living overseas. Special Advisor to the President, Jaoko Oburu Odinga, also highlighted the diaspora’s growing political and economic influence.

The proposal suggests creating around 15 diaspora constituencies globally, each electing a Member of the National Assembly and a Senator. Such representation, modeled after systems in France, Italy, Portugal, and Senegal, would ensure that diaspora concerns, including taxation, dual citizenship, consular services, labour rights, and investment protection are directly addressed in Parliament.

Diaspora leaders are also advocating for secure digital voting platforms, including blockchain-enabled systems, to facilitate remote registration and voting in all elective positions. Canada, with its dispersed Kenyan population, is being proposed as a testing ground for such innovations.

Proponents stress that diaspora inclusion is critical not only for democratic representation but also for leveraging remittances, which remain Kenya’s largest source of foreign income. The reforms would require amendments to the Elections Act and the legal empowerment of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to implement digital voting and diaspora representation.

While earlier ideas considered establishing a “County 48” for diaspora governance, experts warn that this model may be impractical. Instead, parliamentary representation and strengthened consular services are being recommended to integrate diaspora voices into national decision-making.

The Kenyan diaspora in Canada has framed the 2027 general election as a defining moment for inclusive democracy, signaling that political participation for citizens abroad should no longer be postponed.