Mavoko legislator Patrick Makau has faulted IEBC over BVR kits allocation in the constituency for the ongoing mass voter registration exercise.
Speaking during the launch of the exercise at Githunguri Primary School polling centre on Monday, Mr Makau termed it 'a pre-rigging strategy' of the forthcoming 2017 general election by the Jubilee administration.
“The distribution of the BVR kits has been poorly done by IEBC, Cord zones have been alienated by the commission in favor of Jubilee coalition,” Mr Makau claimed.
He said the 16 kits which had been allocated for the four wards in the constituency were inadequate, given that the regions are geographically vast with most parts having poor infrastructure and terrain.
He said IEBC could have considered vastness of the wards verses their populations before reaching the decision on how many kits to allocate them for efficiency.
“Parliament allocated more funds to the commission to execute its mandate more efficiently and effectively, it ought to have procured more BVR kits to avoid this mess and animosity among legible voters,” he said.
Mr Makau said the low numbers of the kits and personnel engaged in mass voter registration exercise in Mavoko will compromise the process arguing majority of legible voters would miss out.
He said the constituency should be allocated at least six kits in each of the wards making them 24 in number to allow for registration of more residents.
He called for extension of the mass voter registration exercise period from 30 to 90 days, arguing that 30 days are not enough for the exercise given that the both the kits and personnel are less in most of the constituencies across the country.
“30 days is not enough for the exercise, voter registration should be a continuous process. Why should it be 30 days, it should be at least 90 days to allow majority of Kenyans to register as voters in readiness to participate in the forthcoming polls,” he said.
He said majority of the residents in the constituency cannot persevere long ques at the few registration centres awaiting registration especially within the weeks because they have to be either at their places of work or business premises where they earn their daily livelihoods.
He however urged his constituents to turn up in numbers and register as voters during the ongoing process in spite of the challenges they might be facing due to the inadequate BVR kits and IEBC registration clerks in the region.
He also called on the youth and young women who do not hold the national ID to seek the document and register as voters upon receipt so as to participate in the 2017 elections.
Mr Makau said the voters card has the power to send home bad leadership by voting in good leaders who can effect change and achieve development for the best interest of the common “mwananchi.”