By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 8 December 2025 - A coordinated campaign is taking shape across Kisumu as political leaders, local administrators, and community organisers intensify efforts to encourage eligible residents—especially youth—to obtain identity cards and register as voters.
What began as a grassroots mobilisation in Nyalenda has now widened into a county-level push led by prominent figures determined to boost civic participation ahead of the next general election.
Kisumu Central Member of Parliament Dr Joshua Oron is at the forefront of this mobilisation.
Addressing residents during a recent outreach event, Dr Oron urged those who have attained voting age to prioritise securing their electoral documents. He claimed that voter registration is not merely a procedural requirement but a foundation for political influence, development allocation, and community representation.
According to him, communities that demonstrate strong numbers at the ballot box are better positioned to demand services and investment.
“Your power begins with your card,” he told attendees, calling registration a civic duty and a tool for shaping leadership.
Supporting Dr Oron’s efforts, Nyalenda B Ward MCA James Were has been rallying residents of his ward to take advantage of the ongoing registration exercises. Were stressed that many local challenges—ranging from inadequate infrastructure to unemployment—can only be addressed effectively when residents actively participate in choosing their leaders.
He emphasised that those who abstain from the process forfeit their voice in the political conversation.
“If you don’t register, you surrender your right to complain. This is the moment to act,” Were said during a mobilisation drive.
Local community leaders, among them Tony Oluoch, have amplified these appeals by organising transport, coordinating with registration officials, and conducting targeted awareness campaigns within informal settlements.
Oluoch reported that through these efforts, thousands of young people have already registered, and many more are being encouraged to follow suit. He argued that the youth must stop relying on excuses and instead take responsibility for their future.
For him, obtaining an ID and voter card is not only about elections but also about accessing opportunities and recognition within national systems.
The messaging from political and community leaders carries a shared theme: protests and expressions of anger, while understandable, cannot substitute for structured civic participation.
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Some officials have openly discouraged young people from being used in disruptive demonstrations, insisting that real transformation begins with informed engagement in democratic processes.
Their argument is that lobbying, oversight, and voting offer more sustainable pathways to influence than sporadic street action.
This intensified drive in Kisumu mirrors a broader national trend as leaders across the country race to bolster voter registration numbers before the next election cycle.
With the youth forming Kenya’s largest demographic bloc, political actors acknowledge that their turnout could significantly shift electoral dynamics.
The Kisumu initiative, therefore, represents both a local empowerment effort and a strategic political undertaking.
Despite the momentum, challenges persist. Delays in ID processing, limited awareness in some neighbourhoods, and historical voter apathy among the youth remain obstacles. Many young people remain unconvinced that participating in elections will yield meaningful improvement in their lives.
To counter this, leaders like Dr Oron and Were are adopting a more personalised approach—speaking directly with residents, addressing frustrations, and highlighting examples of communities that have used the ballot to secure development.
Still, the implications of the current mobilisation are significant.
If the rising enthusiasm translates not only into registration but also into robust turnout in 2027, Kisumu could see a reordering of its local political landscape. Increased numbers on the voter roll would also strengthen the region’s bargaining power in national politics.
For now, the message from Kisumu’s leaders is clear: registering to vote is the first step toward reclaiming community agency and shaping the county’s future.
And with multiple leaders—from MPs to ward representatives to grassroots organisers—aligned behind this cause, the pressure on residents to rise to the occasion is stronger than it has been in years.
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