CS Wamalwa champions for voter registration as IEBC deadline inches closer

CS Wamalwa champions for voter registration as IEBC deadline inches closer

Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary has urged Kenyans to turn up in large numbers for the ongoing voter registration exercise, especially as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) deadline for their month-long voter listing exercise inches closer.

Speaking in Embu, the Water Minister told Kenyans that registration was important as it would give citizens the right to select leaders in the 2017 polls – a democratic right that will enable them to have a say in the way their county is governed.

Mr Wamalwa said that getting all Kenyans above the age of 18 to register would ensure that the region delivers maximum votes for their preferred regional and national leaders come 2017.

County leaders reiterated Wamalwa’s statement, further calling on Embu residents to visit the registration centers before doors close on March 15th.

Makima Ward MCA Pennina Mutua said that registration was the first step in the polling process, and it would enable citizens to eject poor leaders from office.

Ms Mutua also urged youth to get ID cards in order to be able to access other government services like  HELB loans for those who sat for KCSE last year.

IEBC kicked off a massive voter registration exercise in mid-February with the poll body announcing that they were targeting at least four million voters in the 30-day exercise.

Voter registration is currently being conducted in 1,450 county assembly wards by a total of 5,576 registration clerks. The number of the registration clerks was doubled after the Ksh560 million European Union grant.

The first leg of the exercise was characterized by low turnout, with the poll body reporting a paltry 250,000 voters at the close of the first week.

Among the lowest performing counties were Nakuru county which stands at 11,934 registered voters against the target of 35,334 followed by Nyandarua with 5,020 registered voters against the 15,627 target while Marsabit County registered 1,961 voters against the target of 6,180, making it the last in terms of voter registration.

Voters have only 5 days left before the conclusion of the IEBC exercise.

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IEBC Voter Registration

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