By JOSEPH MASHA 

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is raising concerns that most residents in the Tana Delta may not participate in the coming General Election due to lack of identity cards.

IEBC officials Sunday said many residents of Tana Delta District, which was rocked by tribal violence in August and September, could not register to vote after their national identification cards were burnt in the violence.

IEBC North Coast regional coordinator Anastasia Mutua, who visited Ozi and Kilelengwani villages in Tana River last Thursday, was confronted by residents who wanted an explanation on what could be done to help them register as they lost their IDs while fleeing the violence.

In Garsen constituency, IEBC officials say only 13,985 people have registered out of 45,065 who were projected to enlist in 20 days of registration. Bura constituency has listed only 7,948 out of 38,482 while Galole has listed 8,387 instead of the projected 28,376 voters.

The coordinator, however, expressed hope that IEBC will meet its voter registration targets in most of the constituencies in the North Coast region, which covers Kilifi, Tana Delta and Lamu counties.

She said threats by MRC to disrupt the exercise had not affected the registration of voters as people were flocking to centres and registering as voters.

“Initially IEBC was worried that voter registration in many parts of coast region could be affected but we are happy as people are registering,” she said.

Ms Mutua, however, said IEBC has been engaging youth who are not members of the separatist group to meet its sympathisers and offer them some civic education on the importance of voting.

“In the first week of registration Rabai District had recorded more than 50 per cent of the required targets and that gave IEBC hope that MRC threats had been ignored by the people,” said Mutua.

The official also ruled out claims that there was importation of voters from other areas    to register as voters in the North coast region.

She was reacting to claims from area politicians who had alleged that people were being transported in vehicles to register as voters in Kilifi County.

Professor Gabriel Katana, an aspiring  governor in kilifi county had raised the issue and demanded that IEBC probe the matter and arrest the culprits.

“As far as I am concerned there have been no incidences of voter importation to register in the North Coast constituencies.”

IEBC has decried low turn up for the registration exercise across the country.