The Lugari branch ODM chairman Nabii Nabwera addressin village elders, chiefs and their assistants from Chekalini Location 

Chiefs and village elders have been called upon to help the government achieve maximum voter registration in readiness for the coming General Election.

This was said by Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Lugari Branch Chairperson Mr. Nabii Nabwera when he addressed about 48 village elders, chiefs and his two assistants from Koromaiti and Musembe sub location in Chekalini location of Lugari District.

The chairperson said that as grass-root leader’s chief, their assistants and the village elders could play a vital role in sensitizing and helping the youth realize the importance of getting identification cards and register as voters.

At the same time Nabii appealed for the quick implementation of the new constitution which will recognize the village elders and put them on pay roll as other civil servants.

Nabii who is in the race for Lugari parliamentary seat urged local leaders to marshal all youths aged 18 and above to register and take National Identity Cards before to registering as voters in the coming elections.

Earlier, the IEBC said the voter registration exercise for the March 4, 2013 General Election now begins on September 18 and the exercise will include an update of the current voters register.

“Voter Registration will commence immediately after the by-elections set for 17th September, 2012.This exercise will include an update of the current voters register where those who were not in the register will be registered afresh while allowing those wishing to transfer to do so.”

During the exercise, assured Kenyans assured that the OMR register which was used during the 2010 Referendum with over 12.4 million voters was still valid as it “resolved to use the Optical Mark Reader (OMR) for the voter registration process.”

Reiterating that his key objective is to turnaround economic development and improve sources of livelihoods, the ODM chairperson urged the electorate to support his bid for the parliamentary seat.

He promised to improve education standards in order to professionally empower youth in the district so that they can favourably compete for job opportunities with their counterparts inside and outside Kakamega County.