MP alleges ploy to delay elections

Written By:Judith Akolo/Diana Okemwa,    Posted: Sat, Nov 10, 2012

Kenyans are expected to go to the polls in March next year Yet another storm is brewing over the Biometric Voter Registration - BVR kits. This time Naivasha MP John Mututho claims the chaotic acquisition of the kits and the delays in training that is supposed to usher in the voter registration is a ploy to delay the general elections. He warns that the ongoing confusion over voter registration by Independent Electoral Boundaris Commission - IEBC could plunge the country into chaos. Speaking in Eburru at the burial of a TNA aspirant Veronica Wanja who died in a road accident last week, Mututho and former Naivasha MP Jane Kihara said the ongoing saga was creating suspense in the country even as the cost of acquisition was inflated from the initial Shs 3 billion to a whooping Sh9 billion. They demanded that the IEBC comes out clear on the issues raised so as not to continue raising anxiety among Kenyans. They said that civic education should be conducted immediately so as to educate Kenyans on what to expect ahead of the polls that will see Kenyans choose over five candidates to fill the presidency, the MP, governor, senator and women representative. Meanwhile, the Catholic Church now wants IEBC to set a clear date on when the voter registration exercise will begin. In a statement signed by the Catholic Bishops of Kenya meeting at St Patrick's Pastoral Centre in Bungoma, the church said uncertainty over when the exercise will kick off is causing anxiety among Kenyans. The Bishops said the uncertainty is further leading to speculations of postponing the March 2013 election date as ample time is needed to conduct the registration exercise. They called on the commission to give an assurance that the elections will take place as earlier planned calling on Kenyans to also take up their constitutional responsibility and register as voters.