Court allows Kenyans in diaspora to use IDs for voter registration-IEBC

An IEBC staff taking a voter's biometric details. [File, Standard]

A High Court in Nairobi has allowed IEBC to register diaspora voters using either an Identity Card or a valid passport, the commission’s acting CEO says.

In an internal memo dated February 1, Marjan Hussein said the directive was issued on Monday, January 31 pending determination of a petition filed by Okiya Omtata on the same.

“Pending the hearing and determination of the petition filed by Okiya Omtata against IEBC and the Attorney General, the commission should register Kenyan citizens residing outside Kenya using either their valid passports or Kenyan ID,” the memo read in part.

The memo indicated that the petitioner, Okiya Omtata, had filed the petition against Attorney General Kihara Kariuki and the electoral commission.

“The purpose of this memo, therefore, is to direct you to comply with the court order by allowing every Kenyan citizen residing abroad to use either their valid passport or national Identity card to register as a voter,’ Marjan told IEBC staff.

On January 21, IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati announced the kick-off of voter registration for Kenyan citizens residing outside the country, an exercise that is expected to take 15 days in 18 registration centres.

The centres that were gazetted include the US, Canada, UK, Germany, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and South Africa.

Chebukati added that due to the Covid related travel restrictions and logistical challenges, the exercise will not start in the UK (Kenya High Commission in London), Canada (Kenya High Commission in Ottawa, Kenya Honorary Consulate in Toronto, and Kenya Honorary Consulate in Vancouver), and the United Arab Emirates.

“The commission regrets the delay in rolling out the voter registration exercise in the affected countries and is closely working out with the relevant authorities to ensure it kicks off. Upon commencement, the exercise will be extended by the number of days lost to ensure that eligible voters are availed the set 15 days for registration,” Chebukati said.