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CATHERINE W GICHUKI
DOHA
Voter registration exercise at the Embassy of Kenya in Doha will conclude today, Sunday, February 6, as the last day for Kenyan expatriates in Qatar to register as voters as well as transfer polling stations from Kenya to Doha to allow them to exercise their democratic right in Kenya’s general elections on August 9, 2022.
This is the first time that Kenyans in Qatar will be able to participate in the voting exercise. The voter registration is being conducted by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officers.
Ambassador Washington A. Oloo, charge d’Affaires at the Embassy of Kenya in Qatar, said, “I think, personally, I am very grateful for the turnout of Kenyans which initially was not encouraging but in the last few days it has been great.
“It has even stretched the team IEBC team to work very late. Tomorrow (Sunday) being the last day, I will still urge Kenyans to take advantage of this opportunity so that they can register.
“Registration is the only way they can participate in taking up their rightful share in governance. So far across the Diaspora registration centres, Qatar has done well and this is one of the stations with the highest number of registration.”
Ambassador Oloo applauded Kenyans, saying that despite various challenges, they have been able to show up at the embassy to register. “I am really grateful to Kenyans in Qatar because despite the challenges they may have, they have managed to come and register. I am urging those who haven’t registered to come as we will be open until 5pm. Should there be need to extend the exercise late into the night, we will do so to ensure everyone present is registered,” he said.
For his part, IEBC Doha Team Leader Josephat Motitikwa said that people have been thronging the embassy to register. “We have had a lot of people in the last few days. On Friday, we served the last person at around 9:30pm. We believe that in due time we will be able to finish the exercise as stipulated in the law,” he said.
According to him, the exercise has been extended for two days already to cover the days lost due to logistics.
“I am urging Kenyans to come and complete their registration because from tomorrow (Sunday), they will have no chance to complete their registration. We can work all night as long as there are people available to be registered. We don’t want to limit people and we will work until the last person available is catered to,” he said.
Motitikwa added, “We thank the Kenyans in Qatar who have turned up and the Qatar station is number one in the Diaspora registration centres in terms of numbers.”
Qatar is among the seven new Diaspora stations that have been added to participate in this year’s elections. Others countries are the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Canada, South Sudan, the United Arab Emirates and Germany, which join Burundi, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and South Africa who participated in the 2017 polls.
DOHA
Voter registration exercise at the Embassy of Kenya in Doha will conclude today, Sunday, February 6, as the last day for Kenyan expatriates in Qatar to register as voters as well as transfer polling stations from Kenya to Doha to allow them to exercise their democratic right in Kenya’s general elections on August 9, 2022.
This is the first time that Kenyans in Qatar will be able to participate in the voting exercise. The voter registration is being conducted by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officers.
Ambassador Washington A. Oloo, charge d’Affaires at the Embassy of Kenya in Qatar, said, “I think, personally, I am very grateful for the turnout of Kenyans which initially was not encouraging but in the last few days it has been great.
“It has even stretched the team IEBC team to work very late. Tomorrow (Sunday) being the last day, I will still urge Kenyans to take advantage of this opportunity so that they can register.
“Registration is the only way they can participate in taking up their rightful share in governance. So far across the Diaspora registration centres, Qatar has done well and this is one of the stations with the highest number of registration.”
Ambassador Oloo applauded Kenyans, saying that despite various challenges, they have been able to show up at the embassy to register. “I am really grateful to Kenyans in Qatar because despite the challenges they may have, they have managed to come and register. I am urging those who haven’t registered to come as we will be open until 5pm. Should there be need to extend the exercise late into the night, we will do so to ensure everyone present is registered,” he said.
For his part, IEBC Doha Team Leader Josephat Motitikwa said that people have been thronging the embassy to register. “We have had a lot of people in the last few days. On Friday, we served the last person at around 9:30pm. We believe that in due time we will be able to finish the exercise as stipulated in the law,” he said.
According to him, the exercise has been extended for two days already to cover the days lost due to logistics.
“I am urging Kenyans to come and complete their registration because from tomorrow (Sunday), they will have no chance to complete their registration. We can work all night as long as there are people available to be registered. We don’t want to limit people and we will work until the last person available is catered to,” he said.
Motitikwa added, “We thank the Kenyans in Qatar who have turned up and the Qatar station is number one in the Diaspora registration centres in terms of numbers.”
Qatar is among the seven new Diaspora stations that have been added to participate in this year’s elections. Others countries are the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Canada, South Sudan, the United Arab Emirates and Germany, which join Burundi, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and South Africa who participated in the 2017 polls.
