Nairobi,KENYA: The High court has extended the ongoing voter registration until 16th February.
Justice Chacha Mwita issued the orders after activist Okiya Omtatah moved to court seeking extension of the exercise.
He argued that it’s against the law to close the registration saying that the law requires the exercise to be stopped two months before the General election.
“Denying Kenyans three months within which they can register to vote will exclude a large population yet the ballot is the most potent weapon of governance where citizens were have the mandate to elect the country’s political leaders,” he said.
The registration exercise was scheduled to come to an end today (Tuesday).
Meanwhile Kenyans rushed to registration centers to beat the deadline.
A spot check by Baraka FM in most poll centers in Mombasa showed long queues of people waiting for their turn with the registration clerks.
The IEBC registration officials expressed concern over the Kenyan habit of last minute rush, but they looked overwhelmed by the turnout eager to make sure they register each and everyone.
Ali Yusuff IEBC official in charge of registration center at Huduma Centre in Mombasa confirmed that they have not been receiving a huge turnout in the previous days.
“We have been here since last month but we have not seen this huge number of people. But we are hoping to register everyone.” Said Ali.
The number of prospective voters at the Huduma centre was about 150 at around mid-day.
Additional reporting by Oscar Nyoha
