- “We must wake up and realise that there is a lot that comes with winning the presidency. Raila’s bid is crucial to our people and Kenyans at large,” Ruth said.
- In Raila's home county of Siaya, IEBC targets to register 105,378 new voters at the end of the month-long exercise, only 14,308 new voters have been registered.
Image: MAURICE ALAL
@alalmaurice
Former Kisumu deputy governor Ruth Odinga has called upon leaders in the county to embark on door-to- door voter registration mobilisation campaigns.
Ruth said all stakeholders should rally the people of Nyanza to register in large numbers to solidify ODM party leader’s backyard.
“We should first give priority to mobilise our people to take IDs and be registered. It will help consolidate more votes as possible in our own basket to help Raila win the presidency,” she said on Monday.
On Monday, ODM party leader Raila Odinga decried low voter registration in Nyanza. He called on residents to get registered if they want him to win the presidency.
After serious voter mobilisation and registration then those eying various seats can focus on campaigns, Ruth said.
For now, she said, elected and aspiring leaders must mobilise resources, including funds, to ensure Raila succeeds in his presidential bid.
“We must wake up and realise that there is a lot that comes with winning the presidency. Raila’s presidential bid is crucial to our people and Kenyans at large,” she said.
Ruth noted that Raila’s State House bid outweighs the ambitions of any other aspirant in the region, thus the need for leaders and residents to change their attitude and help him win the seat.
She added that the only way Raila will clinch the presidency during the elections is if residents are mobilised to register in large numbers and vote as a bloc.
The former DG said it is regrettable that other politicians were busy campaigning and sitting pretty instead of rallying potential voters especially young people to get listed in the ongoing mass voter registration.
Ruth also appealed to chiefs and their assistants to facilitate students who have attained 18 years and above to get national identification cards and registered.
She also urged leaders in the region to put aside their political differences and unite behind the ODM boss with a sole goal of forming the next government.
There has been a low turnout of those expected to register as voters since the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission launched the mass registration drive on October 4.
IEBC targets to register 28,971 new voters weekly in the larger Kisumu county. The overall target is 124,159.
County election manager Patrick Odame said they had expected to register over 200,000 new voters but that looks like a miracle.
IEBC’s assessment of voter listing in most Nyanza counties has returned a worrying trend of low numbers.
In Raila's home county of Siaya, IEBC targets to register 105,378 new voters at the end of the month-long exercise.
So far the commission has only registered 14,308 new voters across the county.
Last Tuesday, Bondo constituency was leading with 3,911 new voters, followed by Alego Usonga with 2,875 and Gem with 2,339.
Rarieda constituency was fourth with 1,904 new voters, followed by Ugenya's 1,766 and Ugunja constituency with 1,513.
In most centers in Nyanza, it is not uncommon to see IEBC officials relaxing at their working station as there are no voters to be registered.
Siaya county IEBC returning officer Ruth Kulundu on Tuesday said the the turnout is still low compared to the 2019 population census.
“In 2019 census Siaya county had 999,184 with 459,362 registered voters across the county.
“So with that population in the 2022 general election, we are expecting to have 629,326 active voters,” Kulundu said.
She said the county has also done 2,406 transfers with Bondo topping the list with 964 and Ugenya being the least with 140.
Kulundu said they expect figures to increase though they might not meet the target set by IEBC.
“Siaya county received about 100,000 new ID cards. Some are however, not permanent residents, so the possibility of them shifting is high.
"Others are learners and the probability of them shifting is high once the institutions close,” she said.
Raila says he is worried that his backyard was not giving the voter listing exercise the consideration it deserves.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)