By Lillian Mutua

Chaos erupted on Tuesday evening, April 28, at Maasai Lodge after heavy rains disrupted the final hours of the voter registration exercise.

With only a few hours remaining before the deadline, officers from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) struggled to continue the process as poor weather conditions made operations difficult.

Tension quickly built among residents who had queued for hours, fearing they would miss the opportunity to register.

Some IEBC officers reportedly indicated there was little they could do under the circumstances, triggering panic among those in line.

In an unexpected turn, members of the public stepped in to help salvage the situation.

Residents worked together with officials to locate a nearby shop where the exercise could continue under shelter, allowing registration to proceed despite the disruption.

The incident highlighted both the logistical challenges facing the exercise and the determination of young voters, many of whom expressed urgency to register before the deadline.

For many, the moment underscored a deeper resolve, not to be left out of the electoral process, but to actively participate in shaping the country’s future through their democratic right to vote.

This comes after the IEBC issued a final appeal to eligible Kenyans to register as voters, with the Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR) exercise set to close in one day.

In an update on Monday, April 27, IEBC said the nationwide exercise, which has been ongoing in recent weeks, is scheduled to conclude on Tuesday, April 28.

The commission reiterated that citizens are not restricted by their place of origin when registering, highlighting the flexibility provided through its deployed systems.

“You do not need to travel to your home county to register. The Commission has deployed open kits, which allow a citizen to register as a voter for any polling station in Kenya from the registration center near you,” IEBC said.

IEBC also outlined specific areas where the registration exercise is currently not taking place due to ongoing electoral processes.

“Voter registration is not currently taking place in electoral areas with scheduled by-elections or ongoing election petitions. These areas include Porro Ward, Endo Ward, Emurua Dikirr Constituency, Ol Kalou Constituency, Malava Constituency and Mbeere North Constituency,” the commission added.