IEBC warns of low turnout as new voter registrations lag

IEBC Commissioner Anne Nderitu say commission has registered far below target of 6.3 million news voters. [Snipping Tool]

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has registered just over 100,000 new voters, far below its target of 6.3 million ahead of the next General Election.

The gap has raised concern over public participation and the readiness of the voter registration exercise.

Speaking on Spice FM, IEBC Commissioner Anne Nderitu noted, "If we have registered slightly over 100,000, I don't think we are doing well as a country. It's not even a tenth of

what we are targeting."

The commission's projections are based on the number of Kenyans with national identity cards, the primary document required for voter registration.

"Those eligible are more than the 6.8 million we are targeting," Nderitu explained.

By the end of October, the IEBC reported 90,020 new registrations, 15,619 transfers and 188 updates nationwide. This marks barely 1.4 per cent against a target of 6.3 million new voters.

Observers point out a long term upward trend in registration rates - for example, national registration rose to about 78 per cent in the 2017 election according to one survey - yet

more than one fifth of eligible Kenyans remained unregistered at the time.

Nderitu cited Kenyan's "bad culture of last minute rush" as a factor for slow uptake.

"Kenyans have this culture of waiting until the last minute. When the deadline comes, they start queuing and complaining that IEBC is unfair. We want to eliminate that behavior,"

she observed.

According to data from the registration campaign, some counties such as Tana River, Samburu and Lamu recorded only 130, 319 and 417 new registrants respectively.

Nderitu acknowledged the logistical challenge saying the commission plans to launch an "enhanced continuous voter registration" exercise after upcoming by elections.

"We will come to your polling station, your market, your institution of learning, even your shop," she added, noting the exercise's scope depends on funding.

In efforts to engage young tech savvy Kenyans, the IEBC is developing a digital pre registration module enabling citizens to submit details online and later provide biometrics at local offices.

"You'll be able to scan your ID, fill your details online, and later go to the nearest office to capture your fingerprints," Nderitu explained.