By William Koome
Kenyans who were locked out of the mass voter registration conducted between October and November this year will have a second chance in January 2022.
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) acting CEO Hussein Marjan revealed that the National Treasury had allocated the commission an additional Sh8.7 billion out of the Sh40.9 billion to enable it run the 2022 polls.
Mr Marjan said the money would cater for a second round of enhanced voter registration to ensure those who were left out have an opportunity to exercise their democratic right in the 2022 General Elections.
He however lamented that the electoral commission still had a deficit of Sh5.1 billion to successfully run the 2022 polls.
The commission only achieved a total of 1, 519, 294 new voters against it’s six million target countrywide.
In Isiolo County, only 36 percent of the 17, 294 target was achieved with the low turnout blamed on the ongoing drought that saw many pastoralists move in search of water and pasture for their animals.
Lack of identity cards for eligible voters was also an impediment with a section of residents lamenting on long vetting procedures when applying for the IDs.
Slightly above 45, 000 new voters were registered in Meru County against a target of 261, 409 with the low turnout being blamed on voter apathy.
Additional reporting by Betty Luke
