IEBC to start mass voter registration on January 16

IEBC Chief Executive Officer Ezra Chiloba

The State electoral agency is set to embark on a countrywide mass voter registration beginning mid this month.

This is despite the controversies being witnessed at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

The commission yesterday announced that it would from January 16 begin registering new eligible voters for a period of 30 days.

According to the commission's Public Affairs and Communications Manager Andrew Limo, the exercise will be conducted at county assembly ward level.

All ward administrators will be expected to mobilise eligible voters to register.

Similarly, they will facilitate voter education activities in liaison with interested local players, relevant authorities and community leaders.

"They will also monitor and evaluate voter education activities assisted by other voter education players in the wards," explained Mr Limo.

HUDUMA CENTRES

A total of 7,846 biometric voter registration (BVR) kits will be disbursed to counties, 53 of which will be at various Huduma centres across the country to speed up the exercise.

The commission expects to recruit 1,775 voter registration assistants and 15,692 clerks to assist with voter registration.

The exercise will however not happen in Mumberes/Maji Mazuri Ward (Baringo County) and Central Kanyamkago Ward (Migori County).

The two wards are scheduled to hold by-elections on March 22, 2017. The law requires that voter registration is suspended within the 90-day period preceding an election.

Eligible voters in the two wards will be able to register shortly after nominations have been held.

Central Kanyamkago MCA Michael Osongo died in September last year from throat cancer. Baringo MCA Peter Kagathi also died last year from high blood pressure.

Limo said IEBC had set the dates for the by-elections in March.