All leaders should talk tough to supporters to register as voters

Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero during a voter mobilization exercise at Otel Primary school in Kojwach ward. [James Omoro, Standard]

ODM leader Raila Odinga was quoted telling supporters who turn out in large numbers at his rallies, that, “my rivals are having their people register as voters in large numbers because they have taken the presidential race in 2022 seriously. When I walk out there I am embarrassed because of the manner in which you are not taking this matter seriously. Do you want me to quit the race? If you do not register in numbers, then I do not see the reason why I should contest. We have to take this matter seriously and register.”

He is right; and this applies to all, not just the presidential candidates. This is a great approach to get as many potential voters as possible. The countrywide voter registration campaign is well underway and yet, the numbers of newly registered voters is way below the targets and this is alarming.

I honestly believe that all candidates must do something to arrest the runaway voter apathy.

If there are more than four million potential voters unregistered and ignoring the clarion call from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), then it is up to aspirants and political parties to whip up their supporters to get registered.

Every political rally seems to be attended by multitudes of supporters of various candidates, the vast majority of whom are youth, who are not registered. So, why is it that they attend the rallies and yet don’t want to register?

We have barely a week before the mass registration drive ends and an additional few more days before out-of-the-country registration ceases, yet even registration data from abroad is also dismal.

What seems to be the problem? When I served in New York as a diplomat, many Kenyans used to demand that the 2010 Constitution, which allowed them to register and vote from abroad, must be implemented. Now that the electoral commission has begun the registration, where are these Kenyans?

Each time the President went for the General Assembly, large numbers would meet him and indicate their concerns that they were not allowed to exercise their constitutional right to vote.

Now it is their turn; they need to come out in large numbers, register and vote for their preferred candidates. This is because, if they do not register in large numbers, it may not be cost-effective for the IEBC to incur expenses of getting them to vote. Advance and out-of-the-country voting are expensive and prudence in incurring that expenditure is required.

How will IEBC justify the requisite budgets for Diaspora voting if the number is negligible? While I believe everyone has a right to vote and deliberate efforts should be made to reach as many potential voters as possible, it may be cost-ineffective to implement Diaspora voting for a handful of voters.

Potential voters abroad should have a say over the choice of the President we get, because their financial remittances contribute significantly to the GDP and the overall development in Kenya. The Diaspora vote is important but then voting is voluntary.

Meanwhile, candidates should take the messaging of voter registration seriously because it is really in their interests to get many of their supporters to register.

Frankly, political rhetoric and temperatures need to cool down for a week and all candidates have a moratorium and focus effort on getting potential voters to register.

The August 9, 2022 General Election will for sure be closely contested and the winner must win decisively to ensure a peaceful transition; these new and youthful voters will make that difference.

Therefore, for one week, let all of you gentlemen (no woman presidential candidate yet), send one message out to your supporters; “if you want me to win, get out and register in large numbers and vote on August 9, 2022, because my success in the election depends on your vote.”

This might just do the trick.