Kenyans living abroad who will manage to vote will now vote for president only and to vote we will have to travel to Kenya Embassies. That is what the IEBC Officials declared in an address to Kenyans in Brooklyn, NY and it seems that is what they have decided, no matter how far the Embassies may happen to or how inconveniencing the exercise will be. This declaration has caused as much consternation in the Diaspora as did the earlier on made in Boston, MA. In Boston Mr Ahmed Isaack said that Kenyans will have to travel to Kenyan Embassies first to register and then go back there to vote. Click here to watch a video clip of the IEBC Chairman’s address in Boston. What makes the latest declaration even more alarming is the dreadful possibility of a return to the Moi-era electoral practises being applied to voters in the Diaspora. Yes, it is a dreadful situation when you have Ambassadors (like Moi-era DCs) serving as Elections Returning Officers for Diaspora voters. What is particularly disconcerting about this is the fact Ambassadors [like DCs] are presidential appointees many of whom are politicians with vested interests. That these are the folks whom the IEBC officials want to chaperon political elections for the Diaspora population is something many Diasporans do not want to be forced to endure. We need to act and must do so now.
The IEBC Officials must understand that these pronouncements, and more importantly the plans behind them, create significant difficulties for many Kenyans who reside abroad, more so those who live far away from Kenyan Embassies. It is indeed difficult understand how the IEBC could expect a Kenyan family to fly 9 hours (one way) from Hawaii to Washington DC to register as voters and then fly there again to cast their votes. It is rudiculous and insensitive for the IEBC to require me to fly to Canberra [3000km one way] first to register then go back there to vote. We are clearly seeing plans to disenfranchise the whole lot of us and we should therefore register our strong opposition to these unfair moves.
Thousands of you supported KCA’s fight for Dual Citizenship at Bomas and we now call upon you to once again rise up and support our petition to the IEBC. We must stop these plans before they become law. It is unfair and they must be reminded that we should exercise our right to vote without let or hindrance.
I created a petition entitled "The Independent Electoral & Boundaries Commission (Kenya): The IEBC should allow Kenyans abroad to exercise their right to vote, because I care deeply about this very
important issue". Please let us work together and collect 1000+ signatures to support our petition to the IEBC.
To read about this petition and add sign the petition, Click Here or go to:
http://www.change.org/petitions/the-independent-electoral-boundaries-commission-kenya-the-iebc-should-allow-kenyans-abroad-to-exercise-their-right-to-vote?share_id=AnakTRNzol&
Dr IO Menge
KCA President
