Uhuru Kenyatta in four-day visit to stronghold to champion voter registration

President Uhuru Kenyatta with a section of Mandera leaders who paid him a courtesy call to discuss development at State House, Nairobi. [Photo: Jacob Otieno/Standard]

President Uhuru Kenyatta will lead a massive campaign to counter growing voter apathy in Mount Kenya region starting Thursday.

This comes as leaders in the region become more apprehensive by low turn out for the ongoing mass voter registration in the region.

The situation has been complicated by growing discontentment by what many political pundits in the region view as protection of personal fiefdoms in the Jubilee stronghold.

By Wednesday a paltry 31,152 new voters had listed in Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Muranga, Kiambu, Nyandarua and Laikipia. There are 1, 123, 445 potential new voters in the six counties.

Meru, Tharaka Nithi and Embu had registered a paltry 15, 200 out of the 618, 589 targeted by the polls body.

State House Wednesday announced that Uhuru will to visit voter registration centres in Kiambu, Murang’a, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Laikipia and Meru.

Left out in the tour to the chagrin of locals is Tharaka Nithi county which in the last two months has hosted Opposition leaders Raila Odinga and ANC’s Musalia Mudavadi, thanks to a simmering Jubilee Party leadership row.

Raila recently hosted Tharaka Nithi MCAs in Nairobi.

With Raila already on the ground propping up his strongholds to register as voters, Uhuru appears determined to personally convince his supporters to come out in large numbers to participate in the last mass registration before the August 8 polls.

The programme for the four day visit indicates that before embarking on the tour, Uhuru will first receive a briefing at Thika Greens in Kiambu before proceeding to Jogoo Kimakia, Gatunyu and Mabanda to monitor the voter registration and speak to the locals.

He will then head to Gatange, Kihumbuini, Kiunyu, Kandara Junction, Gacharage, Kangari, Kigumo, Kirere, Muthithi, Kaharati, Maragwa town and later Murang’a town.

From Murang’a town Uhuru, who will be accompanied by local leaders, will proceed to Kahuhia, Kangema and Kiria-ini before retreating to Sagana State Lodge in Nyeri.

Friday Uhuru will monitor voter registration at Kiamariga, Kabiruini, Kawarigi and Karatina before heading to Ichamara, Mukurweini, Gakindu, Othaya, Giathenge, Kiandu and Nyeri Town.

In the afternoon Uhuru is expected to tour King’ong’o, Kiganjo and later Chaka market before returning to Sagana State Lodge.

On Saturday, the President will head to Meru where he is expected to witness voter registration at Kariene, and launch Meru’s branch of Jubilee Party at Kaaga Primary School in Meru Town.

Discontent has been simmering in the vote-rich region, with leaders urging Uhuru to use the visit to compel Jubilee Party to sort out a bitter disagreement over interim branch officials.

“Strong candidates in all elective positions are shying off running on JP because they feel the already skewed positions at the party’s county leadership is just a tip of the iceberg,” said Igembe South MP Mithika Linturi.

After Meru, Uhuru is scheduled to return to Sagana State Lodge before attending mass at Consolata Cathedral in Nyeri Town on Sunday.

According to State House Spokesman Manoah Esipisu Uhuru will also visit Laikipia and Kirinyaga counties.

“The President desires to see the largest number of Kenyans exercise their democratic right to register as voters, and importantly cast their ballots in August,” said Esipisu.

After the Mt Kenya region, Kenyatta is expected to head to Mombasa.

Deputy President Willam Ruto is also expected to hit the road running beginning today to mobilise Jubilee supporters to register for the August 8 polls.

Thursday, Ruto is expected in Narok and Kuria, before proceeding to Bomet, Kericho and Nandi on Friday.

On Saturday, Ruto will be in Baringo and Eldoret urging voters to register.

The VP is then expected head to Uasin Gishu, Kakamega, Bungoma and Nakuru.