Former members of the outlawed Mungiki sect in most parts of Central Kenya region have kept away from the ongoing mass voter registration.
The members say they are scared that the exercise could be used as a ploy to arrest them for the crimes they committed in the past. According to The Standard, they said the police could secretly obtain their fingerprints from the biometric voter registration (BVR) machines used in the process.
But speaking during a voter mobilisation forum in Kahuro, Murang'a County Commissioner Vincent Kirui said details captured by IEBC are purely for electoral purposes.
"The government is aware that many of the former sect members have reformed and I want to assure them the registration exercise will not be used to arrest or intimidate them," said Kirui.
Speaking during voter registration drive in Laikipia County last week, President Uhuru Kenyatta directed chiefs not to arrest former reformed Mungiki adherents but help reintegrate them back in society.
Uhuru said youth who were in the sect have since reformed and should be free to collect their identification documents to enable them enlist as voters.