IEBC registers 250,000 voters in week one

IEBC registers 250,000 voters in week one

The ongoing voter registration exercise has been characterized by a low turnout despite the process having been on for the last ten days.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has since expressed concern that it might not meet its target of registering four million new voters by March 15th.

In a statement to newsrooms, IEBC said that Kajiado surpassed the first week target margin of 4,523 by registering 5,357 voters.

Kajiado is followed closely by Siaya and Migori Counties that registered 26,051 voters against the targeted 104,205 and 20,995 voters against the 83,982 target respectively.

Among the lowest performing counties include; Nakuru county which stands at 11,934 registered voters against the target of 35,334 followed by Nyandarau 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.

The commission further observed that there is a high demand by voters to transfer their polling centres with Nairobi and Kajiado Counties registering a total of 19,335 transfer requests in the first week of the voter registration exercise.

“ The Commission wishes to clarify that any voter applying to transfer from one polling station or electoral area to another must do so in the area the person intends to vote, i.e. a voter intending to change from voting in a constituency in Nairobi to one in Narok, must physically go and fill the transfer form in Narok and not in Nairobi,” read part of the statement.

This comes even as leaders across the country continue to urge Kenyans to come out in large numbers and register ahead of the 2017 General Elections.

In Mombasa County, IEBC officials accompanied government officers to a meeting with Chiefs and Nyumba Kumi elders.

In the meeting, the officials urged the local leaders to sensitize the public on the importance of the process.

According to Mombasa county IEBC co-ordinator Gogo Nguma, only 8,000 out of an estimated 118,000 probable voters in the county had been registered by Wednesday.

Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir has challenged his constituents to come out in large numbers and register as voters.

Meanwhile in Thika Constituency, Kiambu Couty, the youth are accusing the registrar of persons for soliciting for bribes in order to issue them with ID cards.

They are now urging the government to intervene and ensure they are not denied their democratic right.

Tags:

IEBC Mombasa Youths Thika registration low voter turnout bvr kits IDs express concerns

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