IEBC gives notice to voters with shared ID numbers

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati (centre) Chief Executive Officer Ezra Chiloba(Left) and Vice Chairperson Consolata Nkatha during a press briefing on mass registration campaign that will continue until February 14th. 07/02/2017. Photo by WILLIS AWANDU

Kenyans who share national identity card or passport details have 10 days to correct the anomaly failing which their names will be struck off the voter register.

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chief Executive Officer Ezra Chiloba yesterday said there were 128,926 documented cases of voters with shared ID cards numbers in the voter register.

"A total of 50,174 ID card numbers were confirmed to be legitimate hence accepted as part of the register. The commission has now published the remaining 78,752 voters with shared ID numbers. This includes 21,149 records bearing the same ID numbers and same names, and 57,603 whose ID numbers did not match the National Bureau Registration records we submitted for verification," said Mr Chiloba.

He appealed to those affected to visit IEBC constituency offices where they were registered to correct any discrepancies.

“Those who do not verify and correct their records within 10 days starting from Monday, February 6, 2017, run the risk of having their names expunged from the register of voters," said the CEO.

In data released by the commission, Nairobi County leads with 7,441 people who share ID card details. Langata constituency has the majority, with 575, followed by Kamukunji (572). Westlands and Starehe have 536 cases each.

Kisumu is number two with the largest number of those who share ID card details at 3,946, followed by Kiambu (3,500), Meru (3,289), Nakuru (3,261), Kakamega (3,481) and Siaya (3,307).

Homa Bay has 2,649 cases while Migori has 2,205, Bungoma (2,153), Kisii (2,293), Nyamira (1,028) and Busia (1,439).

In Eastern region, Machakos has 2,435 cases, Kitui has 2,175 followed by Makueni with 1,726. In the Coast region, Mombasa has 2,012 cases while Kilifi has 2,007.

Trans Nzoia in the Rift Valley has 1,340, Uasin Gishu 1,451 and Nandi 1,179.

Other counties have between 578 and 1,500 cases each.

The matter of shared ID card numbers came to the light when CORD co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka discovered that he shares an ID card number with Salome Wanjiru Njoroge, while verifying his voter details in Wajir County.

Later, it also emerged that ID numbers belonging to former presidents Daniel arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki have been used to register multiple voters.

Wafula Chebukati, IEBC chairman, clarified that the commission was in consultation with the National Registration Bureau to address the anomalies.

He assured Kenyans that come August 8, the mistakes will have been corrected.