The Kikuyu Council of Elders will start door-to-door voter registration campaigns in Mt Kenya to ensure President Uhuru Kenyatta wins by a landslide in August.
They spoke on Tuesday during prayers for peaceful elections at Mukurwe wa Nyakathanga shrine in Kiharu, Murang’a county.
The elders said they will form small groups and move from home to home, asking every individual over 18 years to register to vote.
Chairman Samuel Kimani said they are concerned about young people who are saying they will not vote. He said it’s a constitutional right for every adult to vote.
“In Kenya we are not just going to re-elect the President, but we are going to ensure the future of this nation is safe by electing credible leaders and the aged cannot do so alone without participation of our children,” Kimani said. He said they will also use electronic media to urge residents to get vote cards.
Mass voter registration began on January 16 and ends on February 14.The President issued a directive that ID cards should take no more than three days to be processed and those without the document should apply for it, Kimani said.
Uhuru gave the order on January 20, saying it will help more people register to vote.
At Huduma Centres, replacing a lost ID card takes an average of two weeks.Kimani said, “It is important to take part in this process, bearing in mind that after February 14 those who are not registered will not participate in the August 8 general election.”The elders, drawn from 16 counties, urged all communities in Kenya to co-exist.
“We gathered here to pray to our creator that he may ensure peace prevails in the land of Kenya, especially in this year of an election,” Kimani said.
He urged Kenyans to elect development-oriented leaders of integrity.Corruption has painted a bad picture of Kenya, Kimani said.
“The law should not spare anyone found engaging in corrupt deals. Public funds should be prudently used for the benefit of all,” he said.