As the second and final phase of mass voter registration nears to an end, Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki has strongly condemned the national government for what he called withholding of ID cards belonging to youths from Mt. Kenya region so that they don’t register as new voters like other regions.
Speaking at Ndagani, Njuki noted that in other regions currently allied to the government of the day, issuance of new ID cards is taking as short as two days while in Mt.Kenya nothing is going on at all.
“It has come to my realisation that our youths from Central and Eastern region who applied for ID cards four months ago are still waiting for them. However, in other counties where the government agendas are being backed, their ID cards are being released even within two days to enable them to register as new voters, a thing that should concern us,’’ Njuki said.
It is an issue that he termed as a master plan by the government to make sure that the mountain does not register as voters in big numbers so that they will not vote against the government candidates as they have already shown signs of going against the state.
Njuki noted that even in terms of Mobilisation, IEBC is making less effort to mobilise Mt.Kenya’s residents to register as voters but in counties perceived to be in government there has been a vigorous campaign to urge residents to come out and register.
This according to Njuki has been the same case with local media from Mt. Kenya, unlike media outlets from other counties which has proved that there is already a sealed deal to tame the mountain on their voting numbers ahead of August polls.
To avoid falling into the trap, the county boss urged members of the community with their national Identification cards to use the remaining days to register as voters for a chance to vote in leaders of their choice.
He said he will not be cowed by the government which has been intimidating leaders who speaks the truth against the will of the state and dared Uhuru’s government to question him over his statement.
Njuki has been on the record recently claiming that he has been backing the government for his people to get resources, but it is now time to make independent and solid decisions on the political path he will take without being intimidated by the government.
Felix Njenga