Embakasi West MP Mark Mwenje in a past Parliamentary committee appearance. PHOTO | COURTESY

By Joseph Muia

Embakasi West Member of Parliament Mark Mwenje has raised concerns in the National Assembly over alleged irregular voter transfers from Nairobi County to Garissa County.

In a statement seen by Citizen Digital, Mwenje is calling for an urgent response from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs regarding what he termed as possible illegal movement of voters across counties.

The legislator raised alarm over emerging concerns during the ongoing voter registration and verification exercise across the country by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), claiming irregular transfer of voters between counties.

“Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2) (c), I rise to request a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs regarding alleged illegal voter transfer from Nairobi City to Garissa County,” he stated.

“Concerns have been raised that during the ongoing verification exercise, several registered voters within Nairobi City County have allegedly been assigned polling stations outside Nairobi, with some reflected as registered voters in Garissa County.”

Mwenje, who is now seeking clarification on the authenticity and extent of the alleged transfers, as well as measures being taken to address any anomalies, warned that such developments could compromise the credibility of the electoral process.

“This development raises serious concerns regarding the integrity, accuracy and credibility of the voters' register. Such irregularities, if confirmed, have the potential to undermine public confidence in the electoral process and may occasion disenfranchisement of voters who are unable to access their designated polling stations,” he added.

Among the issues he wants addressed are verification of the claims, safeguards against irregular voter movement, and timelines for resolving any discrepancies in the voters' register.

He also questioned the measures being taken by the government to verify and rectify any anomalies in the voter register alongside the safeguards in place to prevent irregular transfer of voters across counties and polling stations.

Further, the MP sought to know the timelines within which any anomaly is expected to be resolved to restore public confidence in electoral processes. Citizen Digital