Rift, Nyanza have highest number of new voters

NAIROBI: Rift Valley has 285,000 new voters, the highest number listed regionally in the just-concluded registration.

The number is however a far cry from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission's (IEBC) 800,640 target in the region.

Nyanza is second with 260,637 new voters against a target of 619,939. IEBC listed about 1.4 million voters during the month-long exercise.

Eastern, Central and Western recorded 240,563, 192,093 and 164,205 new voters respectively, while Nairobi and North Eastern recorded 134,670 and 21,428 new voters respectively.

Eastern had a target of 675,228 new voters, while Central targeted to list 451,840 voters.

IEBC expected to register 528,371, 540,398 and 60,092 voters in Western, Nairobi and North Eastern in that order.

In its last update, the commission said it had managed to register about 34 per cent of its target.

"Mass Voter Registration (MVR) Phase I, which started on February 15, 2016 and ended on March 15 received a total of 1,428,056 applications for registration as voters from eligible voters," said IEBC Chairman Issack Hassan.

Only seven counties out of 47 managed to list 50 per cent and above of the set target. These are Kajiado, Marsabit, Tana River, Narok, Migori, Kiambu and Siaya.

It is only Kajiado County that surpassed its target by listing 27,884 voters against its target of 18,092, representing 154 per cent.

The commission said Elgeyo-Marakwet, Taita Taveta, Embu, Kilifi, and Vihiga recorded below 25 per cent of their targets.

IEBC's data further indicates that Nairobi had the highest number of registration applications. It was followed by Kiambu, Kisumu and Kakamega.

"The commission had set out to register four million voters in the 30-day exercise but managed to achieve 34 per cent of its target nationally," Issack said.

IEBC said a total of 493,169 voters transferred from one station to another. The transfers, it said, were witnessed across all counties.

In a previous update, the commission had disclosed that there were more transfers to Nairobi and Kajiado counties.

The issue of voter transfer had caused a political storm between Jubilee and CORD. The Opposition had accused the Jubilee of importing voters to Nairobi to influence the 2017 elections in the city.

But the commission yesterday said that "the motivation behind the transfers may require in-depth analysis since it cannot be directly linked to change of residence".

Hassan also revealed that plans were underway to start registration of voters in Kericho County and Malindi Constituency, where the exercise was not conducted due to by-elections.