We ignored voter registration to look for food, youth tell IEBC

IEBC voter registration

An IEBC clerk speaks to the youth along a street in Elburgon town, Nakuru County, on January 30, 2022. The agency was urging locals to register to vote. 

Photo credit: John Njoroge | Nation Media Group

Kenyans have turned the frustrations of their harsh daily life on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the political process in general, sparking worries about voter apathy months before the August 9 elections.

Young people in particular feel hopeless due to lack of jobs and a myriad of economic hardships. They have sworn not to participate in one of their most crucial constitutional rights – voting – until their challenges are addressed, the IEBC has said.

Explaining why it has failed to meet its mass voter registration targets, the IEBC now blames economic problems facing Kenyans, saying many voters say they are not ready to spare any of the precious time used to make ends meet to register as voters.

The voter apathy will likely have an impact on the quality of leaders elected in August, said Ms Joyce Ekuam, IEBC’s acting director for voter education, partnerships and communications.

“We have carried out two mass drives and the third drive is a continuous voter registration in our constituency offices countrywide. True, we have not hit the target and you are aware that this country is facing a lot of challenges. Kenyans are facing a lot of challenges, hopelessness and lack of jobs.”

She added: “We have asked them why they are not participating and they said it’s because they are busy looking for livelihoods, looking for jobs and looking for other things that are paramount to their lives.” 

Ms Ekuam spoke at a national dialogue hosted by the Kenya Editors Guild (KEG) in Nairobi on Tuesday that brought together civil society organisations, government agencies critical during elections and the media.

At least three studies whose results were released this year have indicated that a majority of Kenyans live in poverty, both agreeing that citizens are overburdened with taxes and a generally harsh economic environment that has raised the cost of living.

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) in January reported that over half of Kenyans were living in poverty by 2018, an increase from 38 per cent by 2014.

And research firms Oxfam and Development Finance International (DFI) this month reported that Kenya is one of the most unequal countries globally, with the two richest persons controlling more wealth than 16 million poorest Kenyans.

The IEBC said yesterday that it had hired 290 returning officers, and is educating voters and conducting capacity building for other players in elections. Ms Ekuam observed the need for Kenya’s youth and the general population to be sensitised on the importance of registering as voters.

Forum participants also addressed the need for fair and transparent party primaries, noting that in previous elections this electoral phase was abused.

Registrar of political parties Anne Nderitu said her office will ensure that parties follow the law, use their membership registers for party primaries and publicly communicate the dates for primaries at least a week in advance.

The office has launched a USSD code service that Kenyans can use to register as members or resign from political parties, one way of addressing complaints from Kenyans that they were recruited to parties without their knowledge.

News media outlets were also urged to ensure balanced reporting about candidates during campaigns and offer equal opportunities for them to explain their manifestos.

“Fair coverage of candidates and aspirants benefits citizens, who get equal access to issues various candidates discuss,” said Lucas Kimathi, a senior human rights officer at the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).

KEG noted that to ensure fair and transparent elections in August, the IEBC must be properly prepared and allow independent observers to fully participate.