The Standard Group Plc is a multi-media organization with investments in media
platforms spanning newspaper print
operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a
leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key influence in matters of national and
international interest.
In a tour of constituencies in Nairobi, Raila rallied Opposition supporters to list as voters en masse and hand him a head-start.
Raila expressed confidence he will beat President Kenyatta of Jubilee should his strongholds record the highest number of new voters.
“The coming elections will be won in the next 30 days. Next polls will be won between now and February 14. I know you are tired with the Jubilee administration. No sleeping, no taking alcohol. It will be a do-or-die for us. We want to see which constituency will list the highest number of new voters,” said Raila during a stopover in Kibra.
The ODM leader is vying for the joint presidential ticket for CORD with fellow Opposition leaders Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang’ula, but lately Musalia Mudavadi of ANC has joined them advocating for a broad-based alliance dubbed the National Super Alliance (Nasa).
Raila told those tired of “runaway corruption” by Jubilee that this is the time to make the decision.
“If you are tired of corruption and bad governance, register as a voter today and choose a leadership that will serve, not exploit you,” he said in Kawangware, Dagoretti North Constituency.
The IEBC is targeting at least 6.1 million new voters out of the over nine million unregistered national identification card holders.
This will bring the total number of voters in Kenya to about 22 million since the commission already has over 15 million in its database.
And in an attempt to discourage apathy in the exercise, Raila assured his supporters the polls would not be “rigged again”, telling them to do their part of registration and voting.
“Don’t be worried that there will be rigging again.
I was in Ghana and the guy whom they have rigged out two times won the polls. We will do the same here,” charged Raila.
He appealed to the youth to be in the forefront of “liberating Kenya” by registering as well as mobilising people in their areas to list, talking them out of alcohol during this period.
“I want youth to lead in this exercise because we have enough people in Nairobi to give us a win. I want youth, women and men to turn up and list as voters,” said Raila.
Raila was accompanied by, among others, Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, his deputy Jonathan Mueke and Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati.
Meanwhile Kenyatta challenged law enforcement agencies to deal firmly with those who fan hate speech ahead of elections, on a day the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) started registering voters hoping to list the nine million potential new electors.
“We are now entering the electioneering period, an often challenging period particularly for the police. I ask all agencies concerned to deal firmly with incitement by all Kenyans, irrespective of their political affiliation,” he said yesterday as he commissioned 500 police vehicles in Nairobi.
“Elections come and go, so it is our duty -- all of us -- to ensure our country remains united, peaceful and secure before, during and after elections. I urge politicians of all shades to conduct their campaigns peacefully to confirm our maturity as a democracy,” he said.
According to data from the IEBC, Rift Valley’s 14 counties lead the pack with 1,804,376 unregistered voters.
It is followed by Eastern region’s eightNairobi12 counties which have 1,426,455 unregistered voters and Nairobi which has 1,276,912.
By December 31, last year, Nyanza’s six counties had 1,274,894 unregistered voters, Western 1,107,524, Coast 1,047,831, Central 1,025,294 and North Eastern region 166,983.
Thika has 638,645 unregistered voters, North Rift 598,125, Central Rift 520,036, Lower Eastern 447,759 and Nyanza South 434,323. In the distribution of the Biometric Voters Registration (BVR) kits, North Rift region will get 918 followed by Central Rift 676, Lower Eastern 651, Nyanza Central 529 and Nyanza South 501 kits.
Available data also shows that both President Uhuru and Deputy President William Ruto political backyards of North Rift, Central Rift, Thika and and Nyeri have at least 2.5 million unregistered voters.
Opposition strongholds of Bungoma, Kakamega, Nyanza Central and South, Lower Eastern, North and South Coast have at least 3.1 million unregistered voters.
