Migori county has seen a rush for registration of national identification cards as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission wrapped up the mass voter registration.
County IEBC returning officer Charles Mutai said the county had so far registered 26,736 by Sunday afternoon against the 110,000 target.
“The turnout has been dismal and we encourage those who are yet to be enlisted to turn out and get registered,” he said.
Mutai said while voters registration will be ongoing, eligible Kenyans and especially youths should first get registered as citizens to ensure it goes on smoothly.
On Friday, residents stormed registration centres for national identification as others were still trying to get registered as voters.
Residents said they have been faced with delays in issuance of identity cards and still jammed chiefs and their assistant offices for cards.
“My ID was delayed for over five months and I was happy when I got it on Sunday morning through villager elders, I rushed to register but others have not been so lucky,” said 35 year old Benrnard Odhiambo who registered at Bondo Nyironge Primary School in Suna West constituency.
Migori Woman Rep Pamella Odhiambo while checking on progress of registration in Suna West on Sunday called on IEBC to extend the exercise to give room for the exercise citing a low voter turnout.
“I am appealing to President Uhuru Kenyatta and the electoral body to consider extending the exercise by some more days to allow potential voters to be listed. The statistics are way too low yet we have a majority of eligible voters being left out,” she said.
Odhiambo said the duration issued by IEBC was likely to leave out potential voters especially high school students, who were yet to acquire their identity cards.
“Being a border county, we have several women married amongst us who had been finding it hard to acquire the ID cards, we also face longer vetting process," Odhiambo said.
She said as leaders, they have attempted to work with area administrators who are willing to issue the documents and urged government to fast rack issuance.
