ODM party leader Raila Odinga is calling for sweeping changes to Kenya’s electoral system—including doing away with the voter’s card altogether.
During his first interview since signing the 10-point agreement with President William Ruto in February, Raila spoke with NTV on Sunday and explained why he believes some current election processes are outdated and costly.
He argued that Kenyan citizens should be allowed to vote using just their national ID, saying the voter’s card is an unnecessary burden on taxpayers and doesn’t add value to the process.
According to Raila, relying solely on the national ID would simplify voting and cut down on costs. He also supported transitioning the registration process to a fully digital system. He claimed that while registering voters is relatively cheap, politicians often exploit the procurement process to steal funds.
He went on to emphasize that the country should embrace modern solutions such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) to streamline registration, clean up the voters’ register, and ultimately save public money. “We must start by addressing the voter register.
Let people register using their national ID. There’s no need to have a voter’s card if you already have an ID. That card only complicates things. The government should make sure everyone has an ID because the lack of IDs is why the voter register isn’t balanced,” Raila said.
Calls for Staggered Elections
In addition to digital reforms, Raila suggested holding elections on different days for various elective positions. He believes that staggering elections—rather than having Kenyans vote for six leaders in one day—would not only reduce the confusion at polling stations but also lower the overall cost of elections.
Restoring Trust in the Electoral Commission
Raila further urged the new electoral commission to prove its neutrality and professionalism. He stressed that the body’s primary duty is to build trust among Kenyans by showing that it can conduct credible, free, and fair elections without bias or interference.
“The commission must show Kenyans that it’s not taking sides. Their main job is to build voter confidence by remaining neutral and professional throughout the election process,” Raila noted.
His comments come amid controversial remarks from a political ally of President Ruto, who allegedly said they would rig the next election to keep Ruto in power, even if he loses fairly—just to prevent him from being a one-term president.
Raila condemned the statement as dangerous, saying it reflects Kenya’s history of rigged elections and undermines efforts to achieve fair democratic processes.
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