Kisii leaders raise concerns over voter registration apathy

Nickson Nyakweba registers at Kisii Primary School, Kisii Central Ward in Nyaribari Chache Sub county Kisii County on the first day of the national Mass Voter Registration

Leaders from the Gusii community have raised concerns over low turnout in the voter registration exercise.

Most registration centres have recorded minimal expectations as others record as low as 15 people daily.

Kisii County targets to register 200,000 new voters in the ongoing exercise, with CORD leader Raila Odinga having visited the region to promote voter listing.

Most political leaders in the region have appealed to the locals, especially the youth, to turn up in large numbers and register if they want to participate in leadership and effect change in the August General Election.

Kitutu Masaba could be leading with the figures rising to more than 1,500 in the past one week.

Area MP Timothy Bosire has been meeting with locals, Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials and the Provincial Administration in a bid to have many people register.

The MP called on chiefs and their assistants to help locals - especially those hired as casuals - get back their national identification cards held by employers.

“This should be done to ensure that no disagreements emerge from such a process. We know some employers keep IDs for some of their casual workers,” he said.

522 REGISTER

In Borabu Constituency, area MP Benson Momanyi on Friday raised issues with the poor turnout after it emerged that only 522 new voters had been registered by the end of that day.

“This is a worrying trend that should not be allowed. I am embarking on a door-to-door excise starting today to ensure that everybody gets an ID and voters’ card,” said Momanyi.

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i who was present when Momanyi made the remarks, called on political leaders in the country to mobilise more youths to register as voters instead of engaging in endless political squabbles.

South Nyanza IEBC regional co-ordinator Sarah Ogaro said they are targeting 198,678 new voters in Kisii County.

“We have 225 Biometric Registration Kits within Kisii County translating to five in each of the 45 wards,” said Ms Ogaro.