The electoral commission has resolved to gazette prisons across the country as registration centres in what may signal a plan to allow inmates to vote in the August 8 poll.
IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati said the commission will create the registration centres based on the data to be received from the State Department for Correctional Services.
He said that the commission plans to roll out the registration of voters in the prisons from February 20 to February 27, 2017.
"The commission reckoned that there would be need to develop regulations to govern the participation of prisoners in elections," Chebukati said.
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In 2010 the Supreme Court ruled that prisoners have the right to vote, including in national referenda.
The electoral agency boss further intimated plans to allow Kenyans in diaspora take part in the scheduled poll.
"The commission will be hosting the Thematic Working Group on the diaspora participation in elections next week to deliberate the proposals on the subject," he said.
"Credible elections is the responsibility of all of us. We wish to reiterate our call to all Kenyans to ensure they play their rightful part by registering as voters," Chebukati added.
Chebukati said the commission recognises that mass voter registration has been affected in pastoral areas owing to drought and logistical challenges.
"The commission has resolved to allow registration officers in the affected counties to avail fresh registration services within areas where potential voters could be settled at the moment," he said.
He however maintained that movement of the BVR kits will be confined within the constituency.
"All the registration clerks in the affected areas are directed to accept transfer applications at their respective registration centres in addition to registering new voters," he said.