Kisumu residents seek answers over missing names from IEBC list

A section of Kisumu residents outside IEBC regional offices in the county protest over claims that some names in the voters register are missing. PHOTO | JUSTUS OCHIENG’| NATION MEDIA GROUP

A section of Kisumu residents on Monday camped county offices of the electoral agency over claims that their names were missing in the voters register.

Anxious to vote, the residents camped at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission offices seeking an explanation.

Armed Administration Police officers; the Quick Response Team (QRT) was on standby outside the offices to keep watch.

Nicholas Otieno who displayed his national identity card to the media claimed that despite having verified his registration status with the IEBC, his name was missing in the voters’ roll pinned at St Teresa’s Secondary School in Kisumu Central Constituency where he registered.

VERIFY

“I have checked and counterchecked for my details in the register but it is lacking. I also sent my ID number to 70000, the number given by IEBC to check on registration status but told to visit the nearest IEBC offices,” Mr Otieno said.

Marceline Anyango who visited the IEBC offices with her baby all the way from Kisumu West Constituency said she faced a similar predicament.

“I registered at St Paul Primary School yet my name does not exist in the voters register. We need to be assisted so that we express our democratic right tomorrow,” she said.

Kisumu County IEBC Returning Officer John Cox Lorionokou who addressed them said the problem could have occurred as a result of sharing of ID numbers

"If there are two or three people with shared ID numbers, automatically your name will not be in the register," Mr Lorionokou said.

NO WORK

The problem of shared IDs, he said was not IEBC fault but the problem of registration bureaus.

“The truth is that already we have duly signed registers that we will use and if anybody finds their names missing, there is little we can do,” said the official.

He however referred them to their various constituency offices for further action.

This comes as fishermen in Remba Island, Homa Bay County have suspended fishing until after August 8 polls.

Remba Beach Management Unit Chairman Zedekiah Okoth said the move is to ensure all fishermen turn out to vote.

“We want to ensure all fishermen come out to exercise their voting rights tomorrow,” he said.