By Betty Luke
A section of Isiolo residents have blamed delayed processing of Identity Cards (IDs) for the low voter registration being experienced in the county as the 30-day window nears the end.
Only 3, 450 new voters had been registered by Tuesday evening in the County against the 17, 294 target.
The residents drawn from the Albatinge clan said several youths from Isiolo Central Sub-County, which is the most populated, had applied for the cards but were yet to receive them.
The clan Vice chairperson Mr Ismael Galma said several new applications and others who reportedly lost their cards who had applied were yet to receive their cards.
“Youths cannot even apply for jobs, let alone participating in the ongoing exercise because they have no cards. We wonder why the process is slow whenever it comes to Isiolo people,” said Mr Galma.
His sentiments were echoed by the group’s Treasurer and Secretary General Ms Fardosa Yakub and Mr Silas Eudan respectively, who slammed the local elected leaders for reportedly failing to show concern on the matter.
“While other leaders are pushing for their people to get ID cards, no one (in Isiolo) has shown concern about our people. We wonder who will vote for them if the young people do not register as voters,” said Mr Eudan.
Ms Yakub said she was worried that several residents might not exercise their democratic right of electing the leaders they want in the coming 2022 General Elections.
“We had been promised that the exercise would be expedited but it has not been happening,” Ms Yakub said.
