Raila to lead Cord brigade in mobilising Kenyans to register as voters

The opposition Cord coalition has announced a national campaign to mobilise Kenyans to register as voters ahead of the August 8 General Election.

In the plan, Cord leader Raila Odinga will lead the opposition brigade on a tour of the country to rally voters especially in opposition strongholds.

The campaign will also aim to create awareness among the public on the importance of voting.

“This will enable them to make right decisions at the General Election in August this year,” said a statement by ODM director of communication Philip Etale.

ODM executive director Oduor Ong’wen said: “These four weeks will determine if Jubilee will get off our backs or we are going to endure it for another five years.”

Mr Odinga and other Cord principals, among them Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Moses Wetang’ula (Ford Kenya) and ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi last Wednesday met opposition aspirants at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi, where they unveiled the National Super Alliance (Nasa) that they expect to use as their political vehicle to kick out the Jubilee administration.

Mr Odinga said the elections will be won during the one month that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will register voters beginning Monday to February 14. He said opposition strongholds had more voters than Jubilee areas.

VOTER MOBILISATION

On Sunday, Mr Ong’wen told the party’s branch and sub branches to take an active role in the voter mobilisation campaign.

“You are requested to ensure every branch and sub branch is mobilised to make sure everyone who is 18 years and above is registered as a voter,” Mr Ong’wen said in his statement to party officials. The officials will be expected to make daily reports to sub branches on the number of people registered at their respective polling stations.

Mr Odinga will launch the countrywide campaign at Kibra Primary School in Nairobi on Monday before heading to Dagoretti North and South, Kawangware 56, Westlands Kihumbuini Grounds, Ruaraka and Mathare.

IEBC Chief Executive Officer Ezra Chiloba said the agency was targeting up to six million new voters, especially young Kenyans who have recently acquired national IDs.

“Records with the registration bureau show that nine million Kenyan adults have identification cards but are yet to register as voters,” Mr Chiloba said during a consultative meeting with media practitioners in Nairobi.

The commission, he said, would use 7,793 biometric voter registration kits for the registration, up from 5,776 kits used in the previous voter listing.