The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has officially launched the voter registration drive in institutions of higher learning targeting over 2 million youths.
The initiative launched at the University of Nairobi, aims to register the youths as voters in their learning institutions, to enable them vote in the forthcoming general elections.
University of Nairobi, IEBC and University and Colleges Students’ Peace Association of Kenya (UCSPAK) are the sponsors of the launch which was started in 2015 after the Garissa terrorist attack.
The Dean of Africa, Johnson Kinyua, encouraged the University of Nairobi students and students from other institutions to register as voters to enable them choose leaders of their choice, adding that democracy can only be achieved when students are included in the voting exercise.
“Statistics have shown that there is low rate of registration and yet we can make a difference through the ballot,” he said, and advised the youth to be peace ambassadors and shun incidents where they will be used by politicians to cause chaos.
“You should avoid being used by politicians to cause chaos during electioneering period, Kenya will be there and has always been there,” said Kinyua.
Speaking at the launch, IEBC Commissioner, Prof.Abdi Yakub Guliye, told the youth to embrace the registration exercise as it is the only way they can express their democratic rights through the ballot.
“If you are a registered voter, it means you are interested in the right democracy in your country. If you want to choose the right leaders who are capable to lead you and bring prosperity in the country, wake up, take charge, go register and convince others to register,” said Guliye.
He likened voting for young people, as flying for the first time, whereby someone is excited to board but when the plane takes off they tend to tense. He gave Zambia’s voting as an example where youths came out in big numbers to vote.
“The youth are agents of growth and can make independent judgment,” he stressed.
In his remarks, the Vice Chairperson of IEBC Juliana Cherera, said the Kenya Bureau Statistics Report that was released recently had shown that people aged between 15 to 35 make approximately 75 percent of the Kenyan population, while numerous studies have also indicated that the youth across the country are increasingly getting dissatisfied with electoral policies.
Ms Cherera noted that IEBC quest is to ensure that all eligible youths are registered as voters and are allowed to vote and elect leaders according to their own preference and choice because leadership is service.
By Shalom Mbaa and Faith Mukoma
