Prisoners at a prayer session.
starofhope
.us
The Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission will commence the registration of prisoner voters on Wednesday.
The commission has set aside seven days for the exercise in compliance with the court decision (Petition No. 574 of 2013-Kituo Cha SheriaVs-IEBC and Attorney General), which requires them to register prisoners to participate in elections.
In a statement to the media on Tuesday, the chairman of the IEBC Commission Wafula Chebukati said the exercise was to commence on Monday but there have been delays occasioned by logistical challenges.
"This is as a result of the extension of MVR II by the court to February 19, 2017. We should comfortably commence registration in prisons tomorrow February 22," he stated.
He said according to data from the department of correctional services, there are 49,867 prisoners in 118 prisons across the country which includes those with and without IDs.
Those with IDs in Prison include 5,952 (convicted) and 2,246 (remandees).
Others with IDs but are at home include 5,696 (convicted) and 5,615 (remandees), while those without IDs include 30,358.
Chebukati said those to be registered will be adult citizens who will present themselves with their IDs, must be of sound mind and must have been convicted of an electoral offense in preceding five years to the elections.
"Once registered, this constituency shall only vote for the presidential elections," he stated in the statement.