A section of elected leaders in Kisii County has raised concern over the low turnout in the ongoing voter registration exercise, urging young people to take the lead in shaping the country’s political future by registering as voters.
Bobasi Boitangare Member of the County Assembly (MCA), Thomas Obare, criticized the youth for continually complaining about poor leadership yet failing to participate in the electoral processes. He highlighted that the act of going to the polls is the first step towards ensuring that they listen to their say in the elections. “Young people complaining about bad governance while avoiding voter registration is not enough. Their power to do so is through the ballot,” Obare said.
Kisii County Assembly minority leader Denis Ombachi also supported the call, asking the independent electoral and boundaries commission (IEBC) to increase accessibility to registration.
He suggested the development of more polling stations especially in the areas where existing stations have more than the 1,500 voter limit. “The IEBC can ensure that registration and voting are accessible at these stations in high-density areas thereby not only improving convenience but also BTC,” Ombachi said.
By opening additional polling stations in high-density areas, the IEBC will not only improve convenience but will also increase turnout, Ombachi said. The leaders said that the low voter registration would jeopardize effective representation during the 2027 General Election.
They appealed to residents, especially first-time voters, to take the opportunity and secure their democratic rights.