IEBC Warns Public Over Fake Employment Adverts Circulating Ahead of Elections

Uganda, January 15, 2026 - The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has issued a public warning to Kenyans amid a surge of fraudulent job advertisements circulating on social media and online platforms that falsely claim to offer employment with the electoral body.

The alert comes as preparations kick off for the February 26 by-elections, a period when temporary recruitment of polling staff is expected to increase. In an official post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on 15 January, the IEBC cautioned the public that fake recruitment notices in circulation are not from the commission. The body stated: “Fake News Alert! Beware of fraudulent job advertisements on social media.”

According to the commission, some fake adverts mimic IEBC language and logos and include misleading copy such as: “IEBC invites interested and qualified candidates to apply for various positions. To apply, please use the official portal below,” followed by links that do not belong to the official IEBC jobs portal.

The IEBC stressed that its only legitimate recruitment platform is: https://jobs.iebc.or.ke — the official jobs portal for all authentic vacancies. Fraudsters behind these fake adverts often use one or more of the following tactics: Fraudsters behind the fake IEBC recruitment adverts are directing job seekers to unauthorised portals and links designed to closely resemble the commission’s official recruitment pages.

These fake platforms often use similar branding, language and logos to mislead applicants into believing they are dealing with legitimate IEBC channels. In many cases, the fraudulent adverts also request personal information or demand upfront payments as part of the application process.

The IEBC has emphasised that it does not charge any fees for job applications and does not require applicants to make payments at any stage of recruitment, warning that such requests are a clear sign of a scam. The fake recruitment messages are being widely circulated on social media platforms including Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok and other online networks.

Scammers exploit the rapid sharing nature of these platforms to reach large audiences, luring unsuspecting job seekers into filling out forms or contacting bogus recruiters outside the commission’s official channels. Authorities warn that interacting with these illegitimate links could expose victims to identity theft, financial loss, or misuse of sensitive data.