Kenyan diaspora may vote in 2017 elections
What you need to know:
IEBC requires that there must be at least 3,000 Kenyan citizens in a particular country for it to set up a polling station in that country.
Kenyans will only vote for the president.
They will also take part in a referendum but will not vote for MCAs, MPs, senators, governors and woman representatives.
In March 2013 elections, IEBC only facilitated Kenyan citizens within the East African region to vote.
Kenyans living in foreign countries may vote in the 2017 General Election after the electoral agency adopted a policy to guide the process.
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chief executive officer Ezra Chiloba however said they do not have sufficient data on Kenyans living abroad.
“We are currently mapping the countries to see which ones meet the threshold for Kenyans to vote in the next elections. The study is going on and we want to get the exact number of voters,” Mr Chiloba said.
IEBC requires that there must be at least 3,000 Kenyan citizens in a particular country for it to set up a polling station in that country.
However, Kenyans will only vote for the president.
They will also take part in a referendum but will not vote for MCAs, MPs, senators, governors and woman representatives.
Mr Chiloba said the move is in fulfilment of constitutional requirements as well as the decision of the Supreme Court that Kenyans living abroad should be allowed ro take part in elections.
“This development now ushers in studies on the conditions that will allow Kenyans in the diaspora to vote in the next general elections,” he added.
Mr Chiloba said the commission has also proposed a mechanism for recruiting staff to facilitate Kenyans in foreign countries to vote.
“We are currently looking at the abilities of the commission to handle the process, in terms of logistics, infrastructure and technology, among other considerations,” he added.
This is likely to end the debate on whether or not Kenyans in the diaspora should take part in local elections.
Various groups have expressed reservations over the management of the process with claims of rigging taking centre stage.
In March 2013 elections, IEBC only facilitated Kenyan citizens within the East African region to vote.
Last year, the Supreme Court ordered progressive registration of Kenyans living abroad to enable them participate in local elections. This followed a petition by a lobby group, New Vision Kenya.
The commission’s request for Sh45 billion to manage the next election is yet to be granted.
