Low turnout as voter registration kicks-off in Meru
Mr Joshua Mutwiri registers as a voter at Makutano in Municipality Ward, Meru during the voter registration exercise which kicked off across the country on February 15 2016. PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Some residents and members of the County Assembly who spoke to the Nation.co.ke said there is need for intensified public awareness due to the few voter registration assistants.
- Mr Martin Mwenda, a boda boda operator at Kiirua Market said he is aware that the process had started but he could not establish where the BVR Kit was located.
The mass voter registration exercise in Meru County was characterised by low turnout blamed on lack of information on registration centres.
Some residents and members of the County Assembly who spoke to the Nation.co.ke said there is need for intensified public awareness due to the few voter registration assistants.
A spot check by the Nation.co.ke established that each of the 45 Wards was provided with one BVR Kit and confirmed the low turnout.
Mr Martin Mwenda, a boda boda operator at Kiirua Market said he is aware that the process had started but he could not establish where the BVR Kit was located.
“I am aware the exercise has started but I am not sure where to go for registration in Kiirua/Naari Ward,” said Mr Mwenda.
“We are confused about the voter registration exercise. We are not sure who is supposed to go for the exercise and who should not,” he added.
A spot check at Municipality Ward at around 1pm indicated that only 20 voters had been registered.
Mwanganthia Ward Representative Julius Mbijiwe said the exercise would be affected due to the few clerks posted by IEBC.
"I am going on the ground to establish the progress. However, my Ward is expansive and cannot be effectively covered by two officers. The exercise might be a failure due to communication breakdown,” Mr Mbijiwe said.
Antubetwe-Kiongo MCA George Kaliunga said the clerks were banking on populated shopping centres to attract potential voters.
"The IEBC should do a lot of media campaign and grassroots announcements to keep the people in the know of where the registration centres will be. I want to establish their plans so that I can know how to assist," Mr Kaliunga said.
IEBC central eastern regional coordinator Alicia Kanini could not be reached for comment.
The commission expects to register more than 522, 000 voters in central Eastern region, comprising of Meru, Embu and Tharaka-Nithi, by the end of the exercise.
Ms Kanini had earlier said that the continuous voter registration exercise had captured about 7,000 voters since 2013.
