IEBC Urges Kenyans to Register as Voters Amid Low Turnout
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has appealed to Kenyans to come out in large numbers and register as voters as the commission continues with its ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
Speaking during an interview on Spice FM on Thursday, November 13, IEBC Commissioner Ann Nderitu expressed deep concern over the low turnout witnessed so far, saying it is far below the Commission’s target of registering 6.8 million new voters.
According to Nderitu, the latest data shows that IEBC had registered around 90,020 new voters as of last week.
However, the number has slightly increased to about 110,000, which still falls far short of the expected target. She urged Kenyans to seize the opportunity and register early instead of waiting until the last minute.
“As a country, we are not doing well in terms of voter registration. We are still far behind our target of 6.8 million new voters. Many Kenyans are not showing up to register,” she noted.
“The continuous voter registration is still open across all our 290 constituency offices, except in areas where by-elections are currently taking place. We encourage Kenyans to take advantage of this chance and register as voters,” Nderitu said.
The Commissioner explained that the target of 6.8 million new voters was based on projections of Kenyans who have recently obtained national identification cards (IDs), which is the main requirement for voter registration.
However, the current registration figures show a worrying contrast, with many eligible citizens failing to participate.
Nderitu also cautioned Kenyans against rushing to register at the last minute, saying this often causes unnecessary congestion and logistical challenges for the Commission.
She urged citizens to register early, noting that doing so now would help avoid long queues and delays toward the end of the exercise.
In an earlier update released on November 2, the IEBC reported that 90,020 people had registered as new voters. Additionally, 15,619 individuals transferred their voting details to different polling stations, while 188 people updated their personal particulars in the voter register.
Nairobi County led with the highest number of new voter registrations at 16,512, followed by Kiambu County with 9,917 and Machakos County with 4,026. Other counties that recorded significant numbers included Mombasa (3,967), Meru (3,128), Nakuru (3,265), and Murang’a (3,330).
However, some counties recorded very low numbers. Tana River registered only 130 new voters, Samburu had 319, while Isiolo recorded 312. These figures show a huge gap between urban and rural voter registration turnout.
Commissioner Nderitu further revealed that once the by-elections scheduled for November 27 are completed, IEBC plans to launch a nationwide mass voter registration exercise.
Unlike the current CVR that is being carried out only at constituency offices, the upcoming mass registration will take place in polling stations, schools, and other public areas to make it easier for Kenyans to access registration services.
She emphasised that voter registration is one of the most important steps toward participating in democratic governance and reminded Kenyans that every vote counts in shaping the nation’s future.
Nderitu appealed to young people who have recently received their IDs and those who have never voted before to step forward and register, stressing that voter registration is a civic duty and a responsibility that should not be taken lightly.
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