More Kenyans in the Diaspora to vote in 2022

Details: East Africa; 20 December 2021; 1395

By JULIUS MBALUTO

Kenyans in the Diaspora have been waiting for long to exercise their right to vote. However, the waiting is coming to an end as IEBC has started the process of facilitating them to vote in 2022.

Speaking at Hilton Hotel in Luton to a group of Kenyan leaders, under the umbrella body KCCC (Kenyan Communities Chairpersons Council - UK), IEBC Chairman Mr Wafula Chebukati told Kenyans in the UK that they will be voting in 2022 elections.

Mr Wafula Chebukati IEBC Chairman Addressing Kenyans

KCCC is the umbrella organisation of the following Kenyan Community organizations in the UK, SEKK (South East and Kent Kenyan Group, Kenyans in Hertfordshire, KOB (Kenyan Oxford Community, UKAC(United Kenyan Community) Kenyans in the Highlands Scotland, Kenyans in Nottingham, KCS (Kenyan Community Slough), KUH (Kenyans United Hampshire), Kenyans in Reading, KAIB (Kenyan Association in Bristol), LDSKCF-Luton and Dunstable Surrounding Kenya Community),Kenya Women in the UK and Kenyans in Sheffield.

More groups include, Kenyans in Peterborough, ELEK (East London and Essex Kenyans), KCI (Kenyans in Channel Islands) KCB (Kenyan Community Bedford, Kenyan Community in Cardiff and Kenyans in Coventry

Officials from Kenya High Commission

The event was well attended and graced by IEBC and Kenya High Commission officials. It is not only in the UK that Kenyans will vote but also others from seven different countries including US, Canada, Qatar, UAE, UK, South Sudan and Germany.

Previously Kenyans within East African countries and South Africa voted. Kenyans in Diaspora right to vote is being implemented in a progressive manner as per the constitution.

Mr Chebukati told Kenyans in the Diaspora not to always think about the amount of money they remit to Kenya as their qualification to vote because their right to vote was guaranteed in the constitution. Mr Chebukati told Kenyans that they will be voting through Kenyan embassies.

Kenyans will apply for registration using a valid passport as per the law. Kenyans in East Africa have the chance to use either their passport or Identity card according to the laws passed in parliament. Currently, registration and voting is to take place within the Kenyan embassies.

This poses challenges to the IEBC like Kenyans living away from London or any other embassy within the seven countries where Kenyans will vote might have to incur expenses to come for their registration and polling centre.

Mr Chebukati said that IEBC will might explore other methods to facilitate more Kenyans to register. However, voting will happen only in the Embassy as IEBC can only gazette one polling station as per the law.

Proxy voting, online voting and registration is out of the question as the law requires that one must be present to provide biometric data. However, the IEBC Chairman said, these other options can be explored in the future and the law changed to accommodate them.

Kenyans who attended the meeting IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati and KCCC-UK Chairman Lukas Kamau

Kenyan leaders present from different locations in the UK praised IEBC for their efforts to ensure Diaspora votes. Different community leaders raised different issues like facilitation of differently abled people to vote, distance from embassies to where all Kenyans live and the costs they might have to incur to register and vote, use of online systems to facilitate voting, the idea that some embassies like in London in central city and longer ques for voting might be a challenge.

IEBC Chairman promised that IEBC will work with the embassies to come up with solutions for all challenges faced. Mr Chebukati and his team from Nairobi urged Kenyans to register in big numbers.

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