Migori leads, Kisumu lags as IEBC enhanced voter registration in Nyanza hits 77% of target

The Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR) exercise by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) that ended on Tuesday gained a significant momentum across Nyanza's four counties, with the region collectively registering 189,368 new voters out of a combined target of 246,422; representing a 76.85 per cent achievement rate.

Migori County is leading the region in efficiency, having converted 86.89 per cent of its assigned target, registering 46,484 new voters against a target of 53,497.

The county's performance places it first among the four counties in the percentage-of-target-achieved ranking, a notable achievement given that Migori had 469,019 registered voters across its eight constituencies, including Rongo, Awendo, Suna East, Suna West, Uriri, Nyatike, Kuria West, and Kuria East, during the 2022 General Election.

Homa Bay County holds the distinction of posting the highest absolute numbers in the region, having registered 53,535 new voters, the most of any single county in this phase.

This translates to 85.17 per cent of its target of 62,857, placing it second in both the percentage and absolute rankings.

In 2022, Homa Bay's eight constituencies, among them Karachuonyo, Ndhiwa, Kasipul, and Kabondo Kasipul, had a combined registered voter base of 551,071, underlining just how significant these new additions are.

Siaya County sits third in the percentage rankings at 72.43 per cent, having registered 44,084 voters against a target of 60,861.

The county, whose six constituencies, Ugenya, Ugunja, Alego Usonga, Gem, Bondo and Rarieda, accounted for roughly 533,595 registered voters in 2022, still has considerable ground to cover before the exercise concludes.

Kisumu County, despite having the largest assigned target of 69,207, has achieved the lowest percentage rate among the four at 65.41 per cent, registering 45,265 new voters so far.

The Lake Basin county's seven constituencies; Kisumu East, Kisumu West, Kisumu Central, Seme, Nyando, Muhoroni and Nyakach, collectively had approximately 606,754 registered voters in 2022, making it the largest electorate in the region.

Taken together, the four counties had a combined 2022 registered voter population of approximately 2.16 million.

The ongoing ECVR exercise stands to add close to a quarter of a million new voters to the regional roll, a development that could meaningfully shift the political calculus ahead of the next General Election.

The exercise, conducted by IEBC and backed by community-based organisations, added a substantial new layer to an already robust voter base in the region.

In Nyanza, the Kenya Youth Transition Initiative (KYTI) has been instrumental in supporting the drive, having helped deliver national identity cards to many residents; a key prerequisite for registration.

KYTI Chairman Salmon Oyieko expressed gratitude to all who participated in the exercise while signalling that the organisation is not done yet.

"I wish to commend both the young and the elderly who turned out to register during this exercise. This drive is far from over; we will push even further and take registration right to people's doorsteps. We are deeply grateful to the Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration, Dr. Raymond Omollo, for enabling our team through KYTI. We also extend our sincere appreciation to the IEBC teams for embracing the partnership we offered and working with us so collaboratively," said Salmon.

IEBC officials and KYTI representatives have urged eligible residents who are yet to register to take advantage of the exercise in the Huduma centers and other designated places, noting that ID acquisition and voter registration go hand in hand.

KYTI has specifically been credited with fast-tracking ID delivery at the grassroots level, helping remove one of the most persistent barriers to registration in the region.