A voter registration centre. Kenyans in the diaspora want the IEBC to register them to enable them vote in August. [Photo: DChacha]Kenyans in the diaspora are asking the Kenyan government to enable them vote in the forthcoming August general elections.Coming on the heels of the ongoing voter registration in Kenya conducted by the Independent Elections and Boundaries Commission, Kenyans in the diaspora feel disenfranchised by being left out during every general election in Kenya.They are asking the Kenyan government to fast-track voter registration in the diaspora across the world to enable them register and vote in the coming general elections this year.The government should reach us this time as we are tired of being denied our rights to vote as per the constitution of the republic of Kenya."The Kenyan Government should appoint a Special Czar at voting time to distribute voting materials in the Kenyan diaspora community," a Kenyan, Martin Kang'ethe based in Houston, United States.More than three million Kenyans live abroad and who contribute significantly in the economy of Kenya.Last year alone, the diaspora pumped a colossal USD 1.3 million into the economy of Kenyan mostly through remittances according to the Central Bank of Kenya.More Kenyans continue to migrate to other countries for different reasons. According to United States Census survey, there are more than 100,000 Kenyans residing in the Country. There are more than 200,000 Kenyans in Britain according to the United Kingdom survey in 2009."We see our President and political figures crisscrossing the country soliciting for eligible Kenyans to register as voters for which more than 1.6 million have registered. Why are we not being considered as 3 million voters that would make a huge difference in the outcome of the elections considering our participation in the economy of Kenya every year?'' another Kenyan,'' Steve Nyongesa posed.Another Kenyan, Pamela Nyambura in Belgium, claims she has never participated in any election since she attained status to vote and wonders why her constitutional right as a Kenyan is being violated by denying her the right just because she is living in the diaspora.Compared to other countries in Africa, an estimated 2 million Sudanese voted in their last general election despite the young age of democracy in that country.

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