The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Commissioner in charge of Research and Boundaries Delimitation, Francis Aduol, has called on Nyanza residents to register as voters, framing civic participation as a tribute to the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ engagement in Kisumu on Saturday, Aduol warned that voter apathy in the lake region is being fuelled by Odinga’s absence from the political scene, with some of his staunch supporters expressing reluctance to enlist as voters.
“From my interaction with Kenyans, I have identified three reasons for voter apathy,” Aduol said. “One is the belief that voting will not put food on the table. Others feel a single vote makes no difference. The third is the perception that IEBC will steal the vote anyway. But in Nyanza, there is an additional factor, the absence of Raila Odinga.”
He acknowledged the emotional weight of Odinga’s death, describing it as a profound loss, but insisted that participation in elections remains central to the democratic ideals the veteran opposition leader championed.
“Registering and voting is part of the democracy he fought for. Anyone who cherished him must come out and be counted,” Aduol said.
The commissioner also dismissed claims of electoral malpractice within the commission, saying his experience since assuming office in July last year has not borne out allegations of vote-rigging.
“When I joined, I was keen to see first-hand how IEBC ‘steals’ elections. I observed the entire process during last year’s by-elections, including four days in Imenti North, but I could not find evidence of such claims,” he said, adding that political parties often obtain results through their agents even before the commission completes official tallying.
Aduol further challenged the youth, who make up 57 per cent of Kenya’s population, to channel their political energy through the ballot rather than through street protests or confrontations with institutions.
“Register as voters and elect leaders of your choice instead of invading Parliament,” he urged.
According to IEBC data, Kisumu County had registered 30,639 voters as of Saturday, representing 55.83 per cent of the target of 69,207, underscoring the urgency of intensified mobilisation efforts ahead of the next electoral cycle.
