Low turnout as rain mars start of IEBC mass voter listing

The IEBC second mass voter registration for the August election had a slow start on Monday after most stations reported a low turnout.

The election agency seeks to list 4.5 million new voters, largely youth who have turned 18 since the last voter registration.

Stakes are high as the numbers have a huge bearing on President Uhuru Kenyatta's succession race, where ODM leader Raila Odinga and Deputy President William Ruto have emerged as the frontrunners.

Heavy rains pounded most parts of the country, especially in the Western region. Many registration centres remained empty for the better part of the day.

Rains were reported in Kisii and Kisumu as well as most parts of the South Rift. Areas hit by drought also had turnout challenges.

There were also concerns that thousands of ID cards, mostly belonging to the targeted population, remain uncollected at various registration bureaus.

The IEBC launched the 21-day-long voter listing on Monday, with chairman Wafula Chebukati asking stakeholders to help the agency shore up the numbers.

“We appeal to all eligible Kenyans, especially the youth who have attained 18 years, to take advantage of this opportunity to register as voters,” Chebukati said.

He also announced that the listing would be conducted in 12 foreign countries – seven new, where Kenyans are residents. Those netted in the diaspora will only vote for the president.

Leaders from across the political divide rallied their constituents to turn out and register in their numbers.

In Nyanza, Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Kisii, Migori and Nyamira counties recorded low turnout. 

In Kisumu, few voters were listed, with some centres recording as low as three people. The turnout was blamed on the heavy downpour that hit the lakeside region.

County election manager Patrick Odame urged eligible voters to be listed. In phase one, he said they registered 44,666 new voters out of the target of 173,474.

Odame said they are targeting to register 130,105 in the second phase.

In Nyeri, IEBC officials exuded confidence that the numbers would improve with time.

An official said the IEBC will be giving a comprehensive report after monitoring the exercise for at least a week.

A spot check by the Star revealed that most of the registration clerks remained idle for the better part of the day, receiving only one client after a while.

The commission is targeting to register 104,000 voters in the county, numbers it missed by a wide margin in the first listing between October 4 and November 5, 2021.

MPs, MCAs and aspirants from Raila’s Kisumu backyard, during voter registration launch at Mama Grace Onyango Hall, vowed to mobilise eligible voters to be listed.

MPs Onyango Koyoo (Muhoroni), Fred Ouda (Kisumu Central), Olago Aluoch (Kisumu West), Shakeel Shabbir (Kisumu East) and James Nyikal (Seme), Jared Okello (Nyando) and Aduma Owuor (Nyakach) were present.

Nominated Senator Rose Nyamunga, Kisumu Central MP hopeful Joshua Oron, Kisumu Central ODM party chairman Seth Ochieng, Kisumu speaker Elisha Oraro and county ODM chairman Ayiecho Olweny were present.

They pledged to go door-to-door mobilising people.   

“A win for Raila is for all Kenyans. His bid is very crucial for this country and the region. We must, therefore, give priority to rallying his backyard,” Oron said.

In Nyamira, most of the registration centres remained empty.

West Mugirango constituency returning officer David Kiplagat urged those who have not registered or did not register during the first phase to turn out.

"We have just started the exercise and we are hoping to have as many as those who had not registered as voters," Kiplagat said.

 Residents raised concerns about the transfer of voters, sparking anxiety.

"We will register as voters because we want to practice our democratic right, but we want to condemn this act of transferring votes," a resident said.

In Homa Bay, the IEBC targets at least 120,000 new voters. Last time, the IEBC registered about 34,000 people but had targeted 157,000 people.

In Migori, heavy rains disrupted the start of the voter registration even as IEBC officials said they believed they would achieve their targets.

In Kisii, politicians united Monday to implore residents to turn up in large numbers for voter cards.

In Nyaribari Masaba, governorship hopeful and area MP Ezekiel Machogu, said there were still thousands of youth who are yet to warm up to voter cards. 

“I'm optimistic that they will exploit this chance to acquire them so that they will exercise their democratic rights come August," he said. 

In Siaya, residents carried on with their normal business as IEBC clerks braved the heavy rains.

By press time, some centres had not registered a single voter.

Edited by A.N