3m Kenyans registered so far

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 9 – More than 3.5 million Kenyans have so far signed up in the ongoing voter registration exercise.

The Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) said it was a 24 percent of the total number of registered voters in 2007.

“We have 3, 522, 174 registered by April 6. In 2007 there were 14, 465 444 voters,” said IIEC Communications Manager Tabitha Mutemi.

She said the  numbers will however increase beginning next week when IIEC will commence the electronic voter registration in 18 constituencies.

 IIEC has asked those eligible for voting to register in any registration centre for the sake of the referendum since it will require only a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ vote.

Wajir-Mandera and Garissa-Ijara Regions have realised the highest percentage of registration compared to 2007 voters leading with 35 percent, South Rift Region is also following closely with 33 percent of people registering compared to the 794,212 voters in 2007.

North Coast lags behind with only two percent of voters registered. Out of the 4001,850 voters in 2007 only 8,495 have registered.  North Rift is also among the areas with a low registration of 130,491 out of the 1,265,567 voters in 2007 which is only 10 percent.

The rest of the regions have realised 20 percent and above of those who had registered in 2007.

Below are the tabulated figures.

Item /Region               Grand Total                  2007 Total                                 % COVERAGE

WAJIR MANDERA        75126                         212,177.0000                                 35%

GARRISSA IJARA        36236                         104,011.0000                                 35%

UPPER EASTERN      38864                         154,119.0000                                25%

LOWER EASTERN     306160                      1,235,830.0000                             25%

SOUTH RIFT               265320                       794,212.0000                               33%

CENTRAL RIFT        309870                          1,096,669.0000                          28%

NORTH RIFT            130491                          1,265,597.0000                         10%

CENTRAL EASTERN        314908               984,597.0000                             32%

CENTRAL REGION THIKA    297501          1,231,800.0000                         24%

NYERI                       243287                          954,251.0000                            25%

NYANZA CENTRAL         201066               991,092.0000                              20%

NYANZA SOUTH        321123                     1,050,352.0000                          31%

KAKAMEGA        245517                              880,393.0000                             28%

BUNGOMA            244294                           855,665.0000                            29%

S.W. Coast(MOMBASA)    193590             775,113.0000                           25%

NORTH Coast(MALINDI)    8495                 401,860.0000                         2%

NAIROBI            290326                              1,477,706.0000                         20%

All Regions Total    3522174                     14,465,444.0000                      24%
 

About The Author

JUDIE KABERIA

Judie, an Associate Editor has worked as a journalist in Kenya and Germany. She has a Master’s Degree in New Media, Governance and Democracy, University of Leicester (U.K). She has scooped 10 journalistic awards. She has participated in international conferences in Germany, Switzerland, United States and Netherlands. Judie has written a booklet, ‘Justice and Peace in the Kenyan Eye’. She has a soft spot for human rights, crime, peace and justice stories.

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