IEBC targets 4 million eligible youths in voter registration

Over four million votes will be up for grabs as the electoral body sets out to register youths who are now eligible to elect their leaders.

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chairman Wafula Chebukati said the youths being targeted in the latest registration campaign were not eligible to vote during the 2017 General Election.

Politicians are now expected to retreat to their strongholds to urge the young Kenyans to register as voters in order to claim a share of the huge bloc.

Chebukati noted that the number of registered voters stands at 19,687,885, as of May 2021. He pointed out that a total of 149,600 Kenyans enlisted as voters across the country after the last elections.

He noted that the commission has been allocated the first tranche of election budget for 2021-2022 financial year and will undertake mass registration of voters once the National Treasury avails the funds.

 “In the meantime, IEBC urges persons who have attained 18 years and above to acquire national identity cards in readiness for registration as voters,” he said.

The commission launched the continuous voter registration on October 15, 2015 but due to financial constraints, the exercise has been confined to constituency offices.

Chebukati said the commission has now turned its focus towards 2022 General Election, the boundaries review and electoral activities that may arise in the intervening period.

The IEBC chair made the remarks on Monday during the launch of the Annual Voter Education Week at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi.

In attendance was British High Commissioner to Kenya Jane Marriott and development partners among them Uraia Trust, Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation, National Council for Persons with Disabilities and Kenya Institute of Special Education.

The week provides the commission an opportunity to interact with voters, members of the public, development partners and stakeholders in the 290 constituencies.

Chebukati further noted that the commission will be effecting transfers and change of particulars for voters whose details might have changed after registration.

The commission has developed the IEBC 2020-2024 Strategic Plan, Boundaries Review Strategic Plan and the Election Operation Plan which it will launch on Tuesday at the Bomas of Kenya.

“These documents contain a road map of electoral activities as well as key timelines and milestones to be achieved,” Chebukati said.

Marriott said the UK will provide financial support to the IEBC as it seeks to conduct voter education and sensitisation.

“The international communities usually do not provide core budgets for institutions like the IEBC but we will support IEBC to ensure the standards of 2017 elections are built upon,” she added.

Marriott said UK will give technical assistance in voter registration, voter education, strategic communication, training of staff, stakeholder coordination and building of institutional capacity.

“We want to help Kenya set the standards across the region and globally. We want to be with you throughout this journey,” she added.

The High Commissioner further assured that the UK will not interfere with the elections by appearing to favour a certain candidate. “We will not favour anyone. We will be neutral throughout the process,” she promised.

Chebukati called for support from development partners among them the United Nations Development Programme and the European Union.

He pleaded with politicians to adhere to Covid-19 protocols as they move around to sell their agenda.

He noted that all aspirants in the 2022 polls for the six elective and nominated positions must have a degree to contest. He said the commission is working on a framework for verification of the degrees with Commission for University Education and Kenya National Qualifications Authority.

“All qualifications will be verified. We will soon provide a framework on how that will be done. For those who have not graduated, they still have some time left,” he stated.

Edited by Henry Makori