“Watu 71 Peke Yao Wamejiandikisha Trans Nzoia Mzima, Niliona Nikalia” – Natembeya Laments Low Voter Turnout

Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has expressed deep frustration after the county recorded a very low voter registration turnout during the first week of the national mass registration exercise.

Speaking in Kwanza Sub-County on Friday, October 3, 2025, the Governor revealed that only 71 people had registered across the entire county by the fifth day of the exercise.

In Kwanza constituency, just four people had completed the process, a number he described as extremely discouraging.

“Watu ambao wameregister Trans Nzoia mzima kama wapiga kura ni 71; niliona nikatoa machozi. Sasa hata mkisema Natembeya aende mbele nitaenda na nani! Watu ambao wameregister Kwanza Constituency ni watu 4,” he told the crowd.

Natembeya, who has recently positioned himself as a strong regional political figure, said low registration would weaken his bargaining power in future national negotiations.

He explained that leaders are often measured by either financial resources or the strength of numbers they command. Since his community is not wealthy, he insisted that their power must come from high voter registration and turnout.

“Na kwa sababu sisi pande hii ya Western Waluhya ni maskini ya Mungu, hatuna pesa. Kwa serikali inahitaji pesa ama numbers, mimi nimeambia hawa watu ati nakuja na watu millioni 5.5 na wanacheka,” he added.

The Governor noted that he had assured opposition leaders that he had millions of supporters ready to rally behind him in 2027, but such poor registration results risked making his claims appear empty.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) launched the nationwide mass voter registration exercise earlier this week in Kajiado County, led by Chairman Erastus Ethekon. 

The commission is targeting at least 6.3 million new voters, most of them youth, in preparation for the 2027 General Election.

To make the process smoother, the IEBC has rolled out a new voter identification system known as the Kenya Integrated Management System (KIMS).

The advanced technology can scan IDs, fingerprints, facial features, and even iris patterns at once, replacing the older biometric kits.

Despite the innovations, voter apathy remains a big challenge. Natembeya urged young people and residents across Trans Nzoia to take the exercise seriously, saying their registration was the only way the region could influence national politics and secure development.