The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has been challenged to take the ongoing voter registration exercise to the grassroots in a bid to reach more Kenyans.
Speaking during Mazingira Day celebrations at Kabuyefwe Comprehensive School in Trans Nzoia, Kenya Bureau of Standards Chairperson Chris Wanjala challenged the Commission to ensure no individual in possession of a valid Kenya National Identification Card is left out of the voter registration exercise.
The call comes days after the electoral body rolled out a mass voter listing exercise across the country, excluding areas scheduled to witness by-elections.
“People are always busy on farms and doing other activities to earn a living. Asking them to go to their respective Constituency Headquarters to register is a tall order for them. I want to challenge IEBC to consider taking the ongoing voter registration exercise to Sub-locations and even villages,” said Wanjala
He said if this were done, it would help address the slow voter registration apathy being witnessed in most parts of the country.
Kenya’s Permanent Representative to UN Habitat, Susan Nakhumicha, and legislators Robert Pukose (Endebess), Ferdinand Wanyonyi (Kwanza) and Maurice Kakai Bisau (Kiminini) echoed similar sentiments while calling on Kenyans to unite behind their elected leaders in a bid to take the development of the country to another level.
Bisau specifically urged the youth to turn up to be counted by registering as voters so that they are not left out of the 2027 election exercise.
The Kwanza MP rallied Trans Nzoia residents to support President Dr. William Ruto as he steers the country’s development agenda, saying time for politics will come.
“Let’s also support our elected leaders to deliver on their election mandate. We still have time before the general elections,” he said.
The function was presided over by the Environment, Climate Change and Forestry CS Dr. Deborah Barasa.
By Isaiah Nayika
