What to expect today in the news

Eligible Kenyans who had not registered as voters will today have another chance to enlist.

This follows Tuesday’s High Court order extending the voter registration for two days until Thursday when the case filed by activist Okiya Omtatah will be heard.

“I hereby grant an order to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) not to close the voter registration as scheduled on February 14 but continue with the process until February 16 when this matter will be heard,” Justice Enoch Chacha Mwita ruled on Wednesday.

With more than 6 million new voters targeted by the end of the month-long campaign, the IEBC fell short of its expectations, with figures released at the end of the third week showing that only 2.1 million had enlisted.

And even with the last-minute rush that Kenyans are known for, the target still appears impossible to achieve.

On Tuesday evening, IEBC Chief Executive Ezra Chiloba ordered the commission staff to obey the court order and continue with the registration.

UHURU AT WARDER GRADUATION

Meanwhile, other political leaders have taken a back seat after aggressive countywide tours to encourage eligible Kenyans to register as voters.

President Uhuru Kenyatta will this morning preside over the passing out of prison warders at the Prison Staff Training College in Ruiru.

Mr Kenyatta will be hosting the function at a time when Kenyans have demanded that he break his silence and put his feet down and help find a solution to the doctors’ strike, now in its 73rd day.

Even worse, Kenyans have said, is the fact that doctors at private hospitals have vowed to down their tools for 48 hours in solidarity with seven doctors’ union officials who were on Monday sent to jail for one month for contempt of court.

DOCTORS: RAILA AT COURT OF APPEAL

At the same time, Cord leader Raila Odinga will today lead a group of politicians to show solidarity with the doctors at the Court of Appeal, where the union has filed a case seeking the release of the seven officials.

Here now is a summary of the main events of the day

• IEBC continues with voter registration

IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba orders staff to continue with listing of voters after a court ordered it extended for two days

• President Kenyatta presides over a pass out in Ruiru

The function will be held at Prison Staff Training College in Ruiru.

• Doctors strike

The doctors are today expected in the Court of Appeal as seven of its top union officials serve their third day in prison for contempt of court.