IEBC's voter registration kicks off in diaspora, as local listing begins
The exercise runs up to 6th March in Kenyan embassies.
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In a statement, Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) said only Kenyan adults will be required to show up in their High Commission offices in Kigali (Rwanda), Bujumbura (Burundi), Kampala (Uganda), Pretoria (South Africa), Arusha and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) for listing as voters.
“Diaspora registration begins today and runs through to March 6th. For purposes of 2017 Elections, go to the embassies in Bujumbura in Burundi, Arusha and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Kigali in Rwanda, Kampala in Uganda and Pretoria in South Africa and register.”
“The Kenyan Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates have been designated by the Commission as registration centers for Kenyans living outside the country,” reads part of a statement posted on IEBC’s Facebook page.
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The exercise which runs up to 6th March, requires Kenyan citizens only, with over 18 years of age with a valid Kenyan passport. An applicant, however, should be of sound mind, devoid of elections offences. Such electorates will only vote for the presidency post as in 2013.
In an earlier media briefing, IEBC had argued that challenges related to logistics and limited time to adequately prepare for the August election would limit the diaspora voter registration.
These sentiments by IEBC prompted some Kenyans living abroad to threaten to lock horns in court with the polls agency for restricting Diaspora voters’ registration especially in the East African Community and South Africa regions.
In the meantime, IEBC is on Monday expected to start tallying data from the satellite registration centres in the just concluded mass voter registration exercise.
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In a previous update on mass voter registration, IEBC had registered the following figures per region (Percentage covered)
Rift Valley - 497,313 (58.8)
Eastern - 348, 977 (52.2)
Central - 318, 457 (66.2)
Nyanza - 248, 390 (41.5)
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Coast - 238, 499 (48.5)
Nairobi - 251, 054 (41.9)
Western - 185, 683 (35.8)
North Eastern - 63,100 (80.6)
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