A section of Gen Z youth in Thika have raised concerns over delays in voter registration, citing a shortage of officials from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), faulty equipment and congestion at registration centres.
The youth said the challenges were causing long queues and disrupting their daily activities, with some spending hours waiting to be served while others left without registering. They warned that the situation could discourage many young people from participating in the electoral process ahead of the next General Election.
Speaking at a registration centre in Thika, the youth, led by Magdalene Gathoni and Joseph Giathi, said despite mobilizing large numbers of young people to register, the station was being served by only one IEBC officer.
Giathi faulted the Commission for what he termed as poor planning, saying the centre should have had more than one official and modern machines to ensure efficient service delivery.
Charles Wanyoike urged the Commission to urgently address the staff shortage and deploy reliable equipment, while Florence Wangari questioned restrictions preventing some youths from registering at centres of their choice.
The group also expressed suspicion that the challenges, including faulty kits and limited staff, could be deliberate, especially given the high turnout of youth eager to register.
Despite the setbacks, the youth said they remain determined to register and protect their votes, while urging fellow young people not to ignore the process, saying every vote has the power to shape the country’s future.
They also linked their frustrations to broader issues such as unemployment and poor healthcare, blaming leadership that they say has failed to prioritize their needs.
However, the IEBC constituency election manager in Thika Michael Mose dismissed fears, saying there was no cause for alarm.
He explained that the delays were due to the office currently having only one registration kit, while most of his junior officers were away on training ahead of next week’s mass voter registration exercise.
He said the Commission expects to have 15 kits that will be distributed across the five wards in Thika Constituency, which covers Thika East and Thika West sub-counties, and called on residents to turn out in large numbers when the exercise officially begins next week.
