Opposition hailed for calling off street demos

What you need to know:

  • In a statement on Thursday, Non-Governmental Organisations Council National Chairman Stephen Cheboi said: “It was indeed a wise decision for the opposition leaders take that step for peace and harmony among Kenyans.”
  • Mr Cheboi said that the council will work with the necessary stakeholders to mobilise Kenyans to register as voters in the second phase of the mass voter registration while calling on both Jubilee and the opposition to urge their supporters to turn up in large numbers during the January and February exercise.

The national council for non-governmental organizations has hailed the opposition for calling off a planned protest on the amended electoral laws recently assented to by the President.

The opposition had called for a mass action on January 4, but later called it off after the Senate intervened then on Wednesday during a meeting of opposition leaders at the Bomas of Kenya, the leaders said that they have shelved the protests altogether to concentrate on rallying their supporters to register as voters during the second mass voter registration kicking off next week on Monday.

In a statement on Thursday, Non-Governmental Organisations Council National Chairman Stephen Cheboi said: “It was indeed a wise decision for the opposition leaders take that step for peace and harmony among Kenyans.”

Mr Cheboi said that the council will work with the necessary stakeholders to mobilise Kenyans to register as voters in the second phase of the mass voter registration while calling on both Jubilee and the opposition to urge their supporters to turn up in large numbers during the January and February exercise.

Meanwhile, the Youth Congress has partnered with Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to launch a youth campaign on voter registration.

The initiative dubbed, Vijana Tutokelezee, is expected to help increase the number of youth registering as voters according to initiative’s Co-Convener Raphael Obonyo.

“A robust civic education and awareness is required to help the youth realise that elections have a significant impact on Kenya’s political, economic development and reforms,” said Mr Obonyo.

The initiative is planned to last the whole registration period and also roll out two other phases in March and August aimed at mobilising the youths to participate in the August polls.