14.3m Kenyans registered to vote
2012-12-21 08:11
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To decrease fraud during the forthcoming elections in March 2013 in Kenya people need to register. By making pictures and take fingerprints the The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) hopes the chance of fraude is redused.
Nairobi – At least 14.3 million Kenyans have registered as
voters for the general elections due in March 2013, the Kenyan electoral body
said on Thursday.
A total of 14 337 399 voters signed up during the
registration exercise that opened on 19 November and ended on Tuesday, according to a statement
sent by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
IEBC initially said it was expecting to register at least 18
million voters. Some critics said the period was too short.
"Please note that the just-released voter registration
figures are preliminary/provisional that are bound to change slightly once the
final register is compiled," the IEBC said in the statement.
The number of registered voters is expected to rise slightly
as Kenyans living in one of the East African Community (EAC) countries -
Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, as well as Kenya - are still being enlisted
until 25 December.
The published numbers show contrasting results among the
regions.
The biometric registration process collected photo and
fingerprints of the voters, which will be used the day of the vote to prevent
rampant fraud that was witnessed during the December 2007 presidential
election.
The protest against the result of the election descended
into deadly post-poll violence that killed more than 1 000 people and displaced
hundreds of thousands.
Kenya will hold general polls on 4 March, during which
Kenyans will choose a new president - to succeed Mwai Kibaki - as well as MPs,
senators, provincial governors and local officials.
