Voter Registration exercise ends today – May 8

The Electoral Commissions’ Voter registration exercise which is aimed at registering first time voters across the country will come to an end today, Sunday 8 May.

The exercise which began on Thursday April 28 had some challenges throughout the period, ranging from lack of inadequate registration centers and poor public education of how the exercise is to be conducted.

Some registration centers also recorded acts of violence which left some people severely injured. These were as a result of party officials who challenged the age, nationality or eligibility of persons who had turned up to register.

The voters’ registration exercise was for persons who have now turned 18 years and willing to vote in the upcoming elections later in November 2016.

Persons who were 18 years and above but could not register prior to the 2012 elections were also encouraged register.




The beginning of the exercise recorded very low turnout at most polling centers and picked up later as the exercise went on.

One major challenge however was at the various university campuses where the turnout overwhelmed the registration officials who came to register the illegible students.

The student leaders asked the commission to either bring in more officials to help capture more students before the deadline or extend the closing date.




Officials of the commission acknowledged the shortfall and indicated that immediate action would be taken with regard to the concern but could not give specific timelines and what would be done to register as many students as possible.

Some politicians have described the situation on the campuses as an act that could “disenfranchise” many ahead of the polls.

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