SIAYA: Alego-Usonga MP Samuel Atandi has thrown his weight behind a new directive from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

The commission, has ordered all voters who registered before 2012 to register afresh in an effort to “clean” the national voter register.

Speaking to the press at his home in South East Alego, Atandi described the move as a long-overdue step toward ensuring electoral transparency.

He argued that the current register is cluttered with “ghost voters” and non-existent entries that have historically dented the credibility of the ballot.

By purging these entries, the MP believes the IEBC can finally put to rest the perennial complaints of a “dirty” register, concerns that he noted have been raised by leaders like former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for years.

However, while praising the commission’s proactive approach, Atandi expressed concern over the low turnout for voter registration in the Nyanza region.

He lamented that despite many young people acquiring national identity cards, registration numbers in Siaya, Migori, Homa Bay, and Kisumu remain disappointingly low.

He issued a stern challenge to residents, particularly the youth, to collect their uncollected IDs from government offices and enlist en masse.

“The country cannot afford fraud during the next elections,” he warned, urging total cooperation with the IEBC’s 2026 Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR) drive.

Beyond the ballot, Atandi, who also chairs the National Assembly’s Budget Committee, used the platform to highlight a shift in national development.

He praised President William Ruto for allowing a more inclusive distribution of resources, noting that the government is actively working to correct historical development imbalances in the Nyanza region.

According to the legislator, new projects in health, water, and infrastructure are already underway, signaling a new era of cooperation and progress for the region.