As the 2022 presidential election nears, the Nyanza region perceived to be Raila Odinga’s stronghold is leading in the number of uncollected IDs, it has emerged.
According to the office of the Registrar of Persons, there are more than 70,000 uncollected IDs in the Nyanza region alone, a move that could puncture Raila’s State House bid.
For instance, in Kasipul-Kabondo constituency, there are more than 6,000 uncollected IDs.
According to Siaya County Registrar of Persons Dickson Osore, there are more than 3,000 IDs that lie uncollected in about 19 centres and asked the owners to go for the documents.
Apart from uncollected IDs in the Nyanza region, hundreds of thousands of locals across the region are yet to register for new IDs barely 10 months to the polls.
According to the Independence Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Kisumu County alone has more than 130,000 adults aged 18 years and above who are yet to register for the crucial document.
Speaking during a meeting with ODM county officials in Nairobi last week, party Secretary General Edwin Sifuna said the ODM party is concerned by the big number of youths who had not obtained ID cards ahead of a mass registration campaign by the national elections agency starting next month.
“We summoned party branch officials to come up with fresh strategies to launch massive voter listing ahead of 2022 polls and craft a winning strategy,’’ he said.
Adults who are yet to register and those whose IDs lie uncollected raise concerns on whether they will participate in the electioneering period scheduled for August 9, 2022.
In what appeared to challenge his supporters to come out in large numbers and register as voters ahead of the mass voter registration exercise, Raila said he may not give the fifth stab at the presidency come 2022 if his supporters fail to register as voters.
“I cannot vie if my people will have not registered for IDs and voters’ cards. I will first gauge the number of people who are registered before I make my announcement on the presidential race,” Raila said during a meeting with members of the Maa community in Kajiado.
