ALEGO USONGA: The voter registration drive in Alego Usonga constituency has gotten off to a slow start, with only 586 new voters registered in the first three days, a mere four percent of the 14,000 target.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting at the IEBC hall in Siaya town, Registration Officer Kennedy Ogutu expressed concern over the low turnout.

He called for “concerted efforts” from the media, the National Government Administration Officers (NGAO), and local leaders to mobilize qualified residents.

Ogutu specifically challenged the youth to take advantage of the ongoing enhanced continuous registration.

“This is your opportunity to ensure you can elect leaders of your choice in 2027,” he urged.

A major factor in the low registration numbers appears to be a backlog of identification documents.

Registrar of Persons Maureen Ndege revealed that while over 27,000 IDs have been processed since 2022, more than 5,000 cards remain uncollected in government offices.

Ndege appealed to anyone who applied for a new card or a replacement to check with her office or their local chief immediately, as an ID is a mandatory requirement for registration.

Siaya West Deputy County Commissioner Noah Lokwatale confirmed that administrative officers have been instructed to assist the IEBC.

“We have mechanisms in place to help people acquire their IDs and get registered,” he said, signaling a more aggressive push at the village level in the coming weeks.