IEBC certifies final electoral register of 19.6m voters

From left: IEBC Vice Chairperson Consolata Maina, Chairman Wafula Chebukati and Commissioner Roselyn Akombe at the electoral agency's office at Anniversary Towers in Nairobi on June 27, 2017. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The auditing company KPMG had concluded that 1.5 million people over the age of 18 could have died between 2012 and December last year when the current electoral register was developed, out of which 621,832 were registered, but only found 92,277 who were still on the roll.

  • The certification of the register comes as IEBC prepares to open the roll for inspection, but with no further changes to it, until election day.

It is official: 19,611,423 Kenyans are eligible to vote in this year's General Election.

On Tuesday, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission certified the electoral register, after removing a total of 88,602 dead people still on the roll of voters.

The auditing company KPMG had concluded that 1.5 million people over the age of 18 could have died between 2012 and December last year when the current register was developed, out of which 621,832 were registered, but only found 92,277 who were still in the roll.

The certification of the register comes as IEBC prepares to open the roll for inspection, but with no further changes to it, until election day.

“The certified Register of Voters for the 2017 General Election has a total of 19,611,423 voters. This number includes 4,393 diaspora in 5 countries and 5,528 registered in 118 prisons across the country,” IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati said on Tuesday.

He attributed the drop in the number of dead voters from 92,277 to 88,602 to what he termed as "reportees".

“We are aware that the register of voters cannot be completely rid of deceased persons. However, we are confident that the KIEMS (Kenya Integrated Elections Management System) technology provides foolproof authentication on election day and there will be no room for mischief,” Mr Chebukati said.

An analysis of the numbers show that it is the 51 per cent of Kenyan youth aged between 18 and 35 numbering 9,930,315 in the register that could be the make-or-break for any winning team that can get them to vote in the August elections.

NUMBER INCREASED

Comparatively, the commission's figures show the number of voters has increased by 5,222,642 (36 per cent) since 2013.

The commission has mapped out 40,883 polling stations that are capped to serve not more than 700 voters each.

Nairobi County topped the list with 2.2 million voters who will be eligible to vote, followed by Kiambu (1.18 million), Nakuru (949,618), Kakamega (743,736), Meru (702, 480), Machakos (620, 254), Murang’a (587,126), Mombasa (580,223), Bungoma (559,850), Kisii (546,580), Kisumu (539,210), and Kilifi (508,068), in that order in the top 12.

In all, the former Rift Valley Province, comprising of 14 counties, has a total of 4,649,768, the single biggest unit with the most votes.

WEST POKOT

Turkana has 191,435, West Pokot 180,232, Samburu 82,787, Trans Nzoia 339,622, Uasin Gishu 450,055, Elgeyo Marakwet 180,664, Nandi 346,007, Baringo 232,258, Laikipia 246,487, Narok 341,730, Kajiado 411,193, Kericho 375,668, and Bomet 322,012.

From the data, Nyanza region has a total of 2,688,104 votes with Siaya 457,953, Homa Bay 476,875, Migori 388,633, and Nyamira’s 278,853.

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Central Kenya has 2,910, 465 where counties not in the top 12 are Nyeri 456,949, Nyandarua 335,634, and Kirinyaga 349,836.

At the Coast, those not in the top 12 are Kwale 281,041, Tana River 118,327, Taita Taveta 155,716, and Lamu 69,776.

MERU TOP

In Eastern, Meru tops with 702,480, Tharaka Nithi 213,154, Embu 309,468, Marsabit 141,708, Isiolo 75,338, with those in the Lower Eastern led by Machakos 620,254, Kitui (474,512) and Makueni (423,310).

In North Eastern, Mandera leads with 175,642, Garissa (163,350), and Wajir (162,902).

The Elections Act requires the IEBC to develop a register of voters comprising of one each for every polling station, ward, constituency, county and those in the diaspora.

The register will be available online and via Short Message Service for inspection from Thursday until August 8.