Raphael Tuju has put Mt Kenya residents on the spot saying their turnout for voter registration will not help them retain UTHAMAKI come August 8.
Tuju, who is Jubilee Party Secretariat boss, said about two million must get listed from the region for them to meet their target as the Opposition leader Raila was closing in on Uhuru.
“There are about three million unregistered adults who have IDs in the region. We hope that by February 14 when this exercise ends, two million will have fulfilled their mandate as Kenyans,” he said.
The secretariat boss said Kenyans must register a clear margin in the August 8 election, for peace to prevail.
“About a million adults did not vote in 2013 and at the moment, more than 1.8 million adults who are yet to register as voters,” he said in a radio interview on Thursday.
“These are the people who we are appealing to to ensure they are part of the 2017 general election decision.”
Tuju said the country needs to move on from the mentality of the tyranny of numbers.
“The Opposition is making strides. We must run because they will catch up with us if we keep moving this slowly,” he said.
He gave the example of Tharaka Nithi county where he said 4,500 people are getting registered daily, against a target of 17,000.
“In Kabete only 400 people are registered yet the target was 1,800 a day. This tells you we are not even above average.”
Tuju asked leaders of the Nyumba Kumi initiative heads and assistant chiefs to ensure people get listed before the mass exercise ends on February 14.
“Our leaders from the grassroots need to join in this drive because the kits are not stationed at given points. They are being taken to different places so do not plan on showing up on the last day because anything can happen. Better be early,” he said.
“Youths aged 18-23 should ensure they register because this is the group that needs to be involved in shaping the future of our country.”
The former Rarieda legislator further asked Mt Kenya residents to vote Uhuru again even though he has not developed the region.
The IEBC announced on Tuesday that 825,125 new voters had been listed countrywide since the exercise began on January 16.
Chairman Wafula Chebukati said this fell below the weekly target of 1.4 million.
But he noted the commission will not extend the registration period and that those who will not register will be excluded from voting.
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