IEBC officers registering voters at Gitugi grounds in Mathioya, Murang'a countyThe Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission started the Continuous Voter Registration exercise in September, targeting 6.3 million new eligible voters, 70 per cent of whom are youth.
But with the high cost of living and constrained earnings, many residents of Murang’a county have reported being unable to travel to registration centres, instead choosing to focus on their daily activities.
At Gitugi grounds in Mathioya, a philanthropist partnered with the IEBC and mobilised locals to come out and register on Saturday.
The CEO of Ahadi Kenya Trust Stanley Kamau said the commission stands a risk of missing its target if similar activities are not carried out to encourage people to register.
“In this area, people are forced to leave their jobs, use Sh200 fare to Kiria-ini town to register as voters. That is why the numbers have been very low”.
The worst affected are the elderly and people with disabilities unable to leave their homes and whose chances of registering as voters to allow them to participate in the elections are even slimmer.
Kamau said their inability to register could deny them their constitutional right to cast their votes and elect their leaders of choice in the 2027 elections.
“My plea is to our leaders, from MCAs to the governors and
MPs, to support IEBC in these grassroots registration activities so we can
ensure nobody is left out. If we all don’t collectively do that, people will
miss out on elections and regret for the next five years”.
A resident of Mathioya constituency, Murang'a, registering as a voter at Gitugi grounds on November 15, 2025Kamau further appealed to locals to shun chaos and use their voter’s cards to make their desired political decisions.
He discouraged voters against taking bribes from political
leaders seeking to manipulate them into voting for them and ensure they vote in
ones capable for effecting better development so their lives can improve.
“Once you register, wait for the elections and cast your
vote. That’s the only way to correct the lies that you have been told. Vote for
better leaders,” he said.
Peter Kimani, a resident of Gitugi, said he
was registering as a voter for the first time, despite becoming eligible over a
decade ago.
Kimani said for many years, he dismissed the need to
participate in elections due to the belief that casting his vote would not make
any difference.
But he explained that the challenges he has experienced
since he started his job as a boda boda rider and father has made clear the
need to vote for the right leaders.
“Its very difficult managing my earnings to support my
family. Some feeder roads in this area are in poor conditions and the leaders
we have are not accessible. These people directly affect my family,” he said.
Mathioya constituency IEBC officer Caroline Githua confirmed
that the registrations have been low, with only 600 done against a target of
2,200.
This, she said, is despite the fact that the constituency has
some of the highest registrations in the county.
Githua added that the commission has been doing everything
possible to reach as many people as possible, but noted that financial and
personnel constraints limit the activities.
She supported calls for stakeholders, including state and
non-state actors, to come in and support the exercise.
“We have a few clerks and as much as we try to, we can’t
reach all the villages. The youths are the least registered and there are
complaints that they are not picking identity cards after applying for them”.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
With the high cost of living and constrained earnings, many residents of Murang’a county have reported being unable to travel to registration centres, instead choosing to focus on their daily activities.Mathioya constituency IEBC officer Caroline Githua confirmed that the registrations have been low, with only 600 done against a target of 2,200.
