Ndaragwa Constituency Returning Officer Francis Njogu has called on the residents to register enmass in the ongoing voter registration exercise as the Constituency risks being scrapped off.
Njogu, said that Ndaragwa being a protected constituency under the constitution, does not meet the population quota threshold as per the law, and risked being merged to another one during boundary review anticipated in 2024.
“The law provides that a constituency has a population quota of 114, 000 people on the minimum. Ndaragwa’s population now stands at 98, 000 way below the threshold and this means that we can no longer rely on population to defend its territories, considering that some constituencies across the country are overpopulated already,” informed Njogu.
Njogu argued that the high number of registered voters would stand as a bargaining ground for the constituency, urging those who have applied for identity cards to pick them and seek registration.
Area MP Jeremiah Kioni, who cited marginalisation of the constituency, regretted that the area had lost its population to the neighbouring Laikipia and Nyeri Counties during last year’s census exercise.
“Our people opted to register in other counties for convenience, because they feel that vital services are not easily accessible here in Ndaragwa,” he remarked.
The leaders spoke in Ndaragwa Town on Monday when they led the residents in a forum to deliberate on the boundaries of the newly established Aberdare Sub County.
Nyandarua County, which now has nine sub Counties has Ndaragwa, Kipipiri and Ol Jororok Constituencies’ population, falling below the population quota, with unity of the leaders cited as key in resolving the stalemate.
“Kinangop Constituency alone can create another constituency, so it is about time the leaders flouted some wards in the area to Kipipiri, while allowing Ol Kalou to offload its population to Ol Jororok and Ndaragwa,” noted Samuel Mwangi, a resident of Mairo Inya trading Centre.
By Anne Sabuni
