Prison voter registration faces hurdle as inmates lack IDs

The process of registering prisoners as voters that is set to begin on Thursday now faces a challenge after it was discovered that most prisoners do not have identity cards (IDs).

Speaking to Citizen Digital, Kirinyaga County Prisons Officer Benson Makori said most inmates in Kerugoya Prison and Githigiri Prison in Mwea do not have IDs, which is the only document that IEBC will require from them in order to register as voters.

“We have prisoners not exceeding 330 with IDs, this is a small number considering that this is the only document that IEBC will require to register,” noted Makori.

Mr Makori said that most prisoners are reluctant to produce the document sensing malicious intention by the government to acquire their critical details.

“Some of them are deliberately hiding their IDs for fear that the police will now know their homes and their identity,” said Makori.

The officer is now urging the relatives who might be in possession of a prisoner’s ID to bring them so that they can be registered and participate actively in the coming August Polls.

“Others left the document with their relatives, chiefs’ offices and police stations,” he added.

IEBC Chair Wafula Wanyonyi Chebukati earlier this week said that the registered inmates would be able to vote for the presidential seat only.

There are more than 10,000 prisoners in all correctional facilities in the country.

Edited by Majanga Michael