Week 2: Ruto’s turf leading in voter registration turnout as Uhuru, Raila strongholds lag behind
Deputy President William Ruto's political backyard has recorded a high turnout in the ongoing nationwide voter registration exercise for the second time in two weeks.
According to data released by the IEBC, seven counties in the Rift Valley region have recorded the highest percentage of voter registration turnout. Those counties include Samburu, Baringo, Nandi, Trans Nzoia, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot, and Turkana.
On the other hand, counties in Central and Western Kenya are still doing poorly in the ongoing exercise. Nyeri County for instance has recorded only 7% voter turnout.
Other counties that are doing poorly are; Embu, Tharaka - Nithi, Meru, Kirinyaga, Kiambu, Murang'a, Nairobi, and Mombasa.
The IEBC noted that the poor turnout for the voter registration exercise has been caused by the fact that most of the targetted new voters are currently in schools.
"The Commission is cognizant of the fact that a good number of the targeted new voters are currently in session at various institutions of higher learning," IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati said in a press release.
Chebukati noted that the Commission will therefore start supplying BVR kits to institutions of higher learning to facilitate voter registration exercise among students.
"The BVR kits will be available in all campuses and other institutions of higher learning based on schedules that have been jointly prepared with students' representatives and shared widely," Chebukati stated.
