IEBC to Launch 15-Day Diaspora Voter Registration on December 6th

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is set to roll out a 15-day mass voter registration for the diaspora on December 6th.

The electoral body said the listing will take place in 11 countries that met the minimum requirement of 3,000 voters.

They include the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Africa. Only Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Africa participated in the 2017 general election. 

Last week, IEBC concluded a 30-day nationwide mass voter registration exercise that was marred by low turnout. The commission managed to register just 25.3 percent of targeted voters at the close of the mass listing.

IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati said only 1,519,294 Kenyans registered to vote against a target of six million new voters.

Nairobi registered the highest number of new voters at 152,920 followed by Nakuru (62,064 ), Kiambu (59, 813), Kakamega (57,816), and Kisii (56,932).

Lamu county registered the lowest number of voters (5,773), followed Isiolo (6,222), Samburu (9,356), Laikipia (11,605), and Tana River (11,618).

421,057 registered voters applied to transfer from their previous polling stations during the exercise.