The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has cautioned Kenyans against a false alert circulating on social media about job opportunities.
The commission warned Kenyans on Thursday, January 15, about a fraudulent advertisement that has gone viral on social media, purporting that there were slots to be filled ahead of the February by-elections.
In the fake job advertisements, the fake agency announced several openings allegedly from the IEBC, including the positions of polling assistants ahead of the planned February by-elections. It directed members of the public to a phony portal for applications.
"Fake News Alert! Beware of fraudulent job advertisements on social media," the commission warned.
In the advert, which the commission has since flagged as fake, the fraudsters were targeting Kenyans ahead of planned by-elections in February 2026.
The advert targeted the recruitment of polling personnel and assistants, as well as other vacant positions that it did not clarify.
"In preparation for the upcoming elections, IEBC has launched a recruitment process to fill several vacant positions across the country. shortlisted candidates will be notified via email," the fake advert stated.
The fraudsters used the IEBC's official logo and colours, presumably to throw off unsuspecting online users and entice them to apply.
They were targeting the upcoming by-elections in February, which will be conducted for different positions, including West Kabras Ward in Malava Constituency, Kakamega County; Muminji Ward and Evurore Ward in Mbeere North Constituency, Embu County; and Member of National Assembly for Isiolo South Constituency.
IEBC advised the public to check its official websites and verified social media platforms for accurate and updated information and openings. It also emphasised that its official jobs portal was jobs.iebc.or.ke, where legitimate job adverts and application details are posted.
The IEBC announcement aims to protect Kenyans from falling victim to these scams by urging them to confirm the authenticity of job adverts before responding and to rely on official platforms for accurate recruitment information.
Before issuing the warning, the electoral body had announced that it was receiving applications from eligible organisations seeking accreditation as election observers and media practitioners for the upcoming mini-polls scheduled for February 26, 2026.
According to the commission’s official jobs portal, no other vacancies were available at the time of publication. The last recruitment exercise by the commission was conducted in October 2025, ahead of the November by-elections and the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) drive.
The commission's caution comes amid a broader trend of fraudulent job advertisements targeting Kenyans that has become more prevalent recently.
Besides IEBC, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has also been the subject of various fraud schemes. The authority has flagged several portals and websites that fraudsters have used to con unsuspecting drivers. The authority has urged the victims to report the matter to the nearest police station.
Other government agencies and co-operations that have also recently issued scam alerts after fake recruitment links and adverts claiming job vacancies were shared online include Kenya Railways and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
How to identify fake jobs
To identify fake job advertisements, watch out for upfront payment of fees like processing, or processing fees. Also, be wary of recruiters using personal emails like Gmail and Yahoo instead of government emails, or heavy reliance on WhatsApp and or other social media platforms instead of official company or agency websites.
To verify if the job advert is real or fake, always look at the official website of the advertising agency and check whether such openings exist. Also, check on the agency's verified social media accounts.
