Nairobi gubernatorial aspirant Irungu Nyakera has raised red flags about potential irregularities in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, accusing foreign nationals of attempting to fraudulently register using Kenyan IDs.
In a statement on X, Nyakera revealed that since the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) launched the process on September 29, he has visited multiple registration stations across Nairobi.
He quoted clerks expressing concerns over Burundi, Ethiopian, and Ugandan nationals presenting what appear to be forged Kenyan identification documents to enroll as voters.
"The credibility of our voter register is a cornerstone of our democracy. Only duly verified Kenyan citizens should be issued with national IDs and allowed to register as voters," Nyakera emphasized, urging IEBC clerks to report any suspicious activities on social media platforms.
He warned that such lapses threaten Kenya's sovereignty, especially as the country gears up for the 2027 General Elections.
Nyakera's comments come against a backdrop of sluggish participation in the CVR drive, which aims to add 6.3 million new voters—primarily youth—to the existing 22.1 million on the roll.
Reports indicate zero registrations in some rural centers on the first day, with urban areas like Nairobi also seeing limited turnout.
IEBC has rolled out services including new registrations, updates, and transfers at constituency offices and Huduma Centres, requiring valid IDs or passports for Kenyan citizens aged 18 and above.
The aspirant, a former KICC chairman and Democracy for Citizens Party patron, stressed upholding registration integrity to safeguard electoral fairness.
In a statement on X, Nyakera revealed that since the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) launched the process on September 29, he has visited multiple registration stations across Nairobi.
He quoted clerks expressing concerns over Burundi, Ethiopian, and Ugandan nationals presenting what appear to be forged Kenyan identification documents to enroll as voters.
"The credibility of our voter register is a cornerstone of our democracy. Only duly verified Kenyan citizens should be issued with national IDs and allowed to register as voters," Nyakera emphasized, urging IEBC clerks to report any suspicious activities on social media platforms.
He warned that such lapses threaten Kenya's sovereignty, especially as the country gears up for the 2027 General Elections.
Nyakera's comments come against a backdrop of sluggish participation in the CVR drive, which aims to add 6.3 million new voters—primarily youth—to the existing 22.1 million on the roll.
Reports indicate zero registrations in some rural centers on the first day, with urban areas like Nairobi also seeing limited turnout.
IEBC has rolled out services including new registrations, updates, and transfers at constituency offices and Huduma Centres, requiring valid IDs or passports for Kenyan citizens aged 18 and above.
The aspirant, a former KICC chairman and Democracy for Citizens Party patron, stressed upholding registration integrity to safeguard electoral fairness.