The independent electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has yet again missed out on the target of the anticipated second phase of voter registration following a low turnout of numbers.
Speaking to Bungoma county election manager Solomon Mudanya, noted that since the rollout of the second phase of voter’s registration that began on 17th January and ended on 6th, February, the expected number to be registered in Bungoma county was 186,000 but they barely registered a quarter of the desired number which was 33,179 voters only.
Mr. Mudanya went further to express his dissatisfaction with the low turnout of the youths saying that the high number among the registered was that of the medium-aged people compared to that of the youths.
“I think voter apathy is high among the young people and should be the main reason that has led to low turnouts among the youths. They tend not to see the necessity in engaging in voting because they have been failed by the leaders that they chose before, however, they have the power and the number to select the right leader who can represent them well but they instead choose to ignore,” he said
He said that Bungoma county was also affected by unnecessary transfers whereby the residents transferred their voters to other counties or different constituencies after being manipulated by the aspirants by giving them handouts.
The second phase of voter registration came about after the government failed to meet the target in the first phase hence giving another chance to the citizens who had not registered.
Mudanya noted that there might be no other phase to conduct the exercise and so the registered ones might be used to represent those who didn’t register.
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