By Faith Anene, Kakamega
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has launched a voter registration exercise in Malava Constituency, targeting 10,770 new voters ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during the launch of the exercise in Malava, Constituency Election Manager Simon Makoha Barasa said the registration drive comes after a prolonged period during which voter registration activities were suspended due to a by-election and subsequent court petition following the death of former Malava Member of Parliament, Malulu Injendi.
Barasa noted that Malava Constituency had 194,177 registered voters during the 2022 General Election and urged eligible residents, particularly young people who have recently attained the age of 18, to take advantage of the exercise and register as voters within the next 30 days.
“As of 2022, Malava had 194,177 registered voters. Since then, we have been unable to register new voters due to the by-election and the court petition, which was concluded on May 15. We are now officially in a position to register voters in the constituency,” he said.
He said the seven wards in the constituency have each been allocated voter registration resources, including three voter registration kits and six registration officers. Schedules indicating where registration officers will be stationed have been displayed at chiefs’ offices, Deputy County Commissioner’s offices and on online platforms to enable residents to access the service easily.
Barasa also appealed to young people whose national identity cards are ready but remain uncollected to pick them up and register as voters.
“An identity card is a key requirement for voter registration. We encourage all eligible youths to collect their IDs and participate in this important democratic process,” he said.
Leaders in the constituency welcomed the exercise and called on residents to embrace the opportunity to shape the area’s political future.
South Kabras MCA Joseph Wakuha, speaking on behalf of fellow Members of County Assembly, urged young people who have completed school and acquired national identity cards to register as voters, saying voting remains one of the most effective ways for citizens to influence leadership and development.
“We have waited for this opportunity for a long time. Young people should come out in large numbers because if you are not registered, you cannot vote or participate in choosing leaders,” he said.
The ward representatives also called on registration officers to reach remote areas to ensure all eligible voters are captured. They further encouraged residents seeking to transfer their polling stations to visit the IEBC office in Malava for assistance.
Meanwhile, youth leader Martin Maroi of Sajili Vijana Magharibi CBO pledged to support the voter registration drive through voter education and mobilisation campaigns targeting churches, vocational training centres, boda boda operators and villages across the constituency.
“We are confident that with proper mobilisation, Malava can achieve and even surpass its voter registration target,” Maroi said.
The voter registration exercise will run for 30 days across the constituency before transitioning to continuous voter registration services at the IEBC Malava office, where residents will also be able to transfer polling stations and make corrections to their voter details.
