As the voters’ registration enters the third and second last week, Kenyans have been challenged to seize the opportunity and participate fully in the process as a way of exercising their democratic right in the forth coming general elections of 2017.
Speaking at West media studios today in the morning, the Independent, Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioner Mr. Albert Bwire urged Kenyans to mobilize each other so that everyone with a national identification card or a valid passport and missed the opportunity to register in 2012 comes out to do so within this time set aside by the IEBC.
He reminded them that time is elapsing as only fourteen days are remaining for the process to come to the end.
Mr. Bwire added that those who are eligible to participate in the process are:
· Those who missed to register in the 2012 exercise hence missed to vote in 2013 elections.
· Those who got their ID’s between 2013 and now and are willing to participate in the next general elections,
· Those who would wish to change their polling station from their previous one to the new ones of their choice.
He further warned those who are already registered to avoid double registration saying that it is against the law and anyone found will have his or her name deleted from the national register and that he or she might also be prosecuted by the law.
The commissioner said that IEBC is targeting one million new voters in the Western region and that up to now it is so unfortunate that only 21% of the required number which is approximately 80,000 voters have been registered.
However he added that strategies are under way to make sure that at least 50% of the number required is reached before the time ends on 15th this month.
Some of these strategies include making partnerships with the county leaders, the national leaders such as village chiefs, assistant chiefs, and faith based leaders such as pastors and other church leaders.
He challenged the political leaders to participate effectively in the move to drive their residents to register since they also need them to vote for them.
Claims that people are using IDs belonging to diseased persons to be registered twice were refuted by the commissioner saying that it cannot happen as the machines used are digital and they only match a person with his or her finger prints.
Mr. Bwire’s sentiments were echoed by the lower western region (Bungoma and Busia) IEBC coordinator Mr. Patrick Odame who also asked people from the region to come out and take part in the exercise.
Mr. Odame said being registered as a voter is the only way a citizen can use to elect credible leaders and vote out underperforming leaders.
He added that the IEBC does not intend to extend the time set aside for the process as it will need extra costs which won’t be available as the national treasury gave out only Ksh. 500 million for the exercise.
He further urged those elderly people who are still in possession of old generation IDs to make an effort of getting the second generation ones as those first generation were degazetted by the national government.