IEBC chair candidate Ethekon vows to tackle voter challenges in remote areas
Ethekon, who identifies as a member of a marginalised community, said his leadership would focus on making the electoral system more inclusive.
IEBC chairperson candidate Erastus Ethekon has promised to prioritise the rights of marginalized communities in the electoral process if appointed to lead the commission.
Appearing before the IEBC panel on Tuesday, he pointed out the need for targeted policies to ensure that every Kenyan, regardless of location or background, has equal access to voter registration, education, and participation in elections.
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Ethekon, who identifies as a member of a marginalised community, said his leadership would focus on making the electoral system more inclusive.
“As chair of the commission, I will have the rare opportunity to look at special groups because I identify as one of them. I have seen their challenges firsthand,” he said.
He outlined a rights-based approach to addressing electoral barriers, ensuring that every stage—from voter registration to vote counting—takes into account the unique struggles of marginalised groups.
“I will ensure that a rights-based approach to voter registration, voter education, and polling is employed. This will help address the specific needs of these communities,” Ethekon added.
One of his key proposals is the introduction of mobile voter registration units to reach remote areas with poor infrastructure and limited access to electoral services.
“We need to ask: Are these regions accessible? If not, can we, as a commission, use mobile voter registration units to reach them?” he posed.
Voter education
Ethekon also highlighted the need for better voter education strategies, proposing the use of vernacular radio stations to communicate with communities that rely on local dialects.
“With devolution, many counties have vernacular radio stations. Even in Turkana, we have several. The commission should work with these stations to educate voters in their local language,” he explained.
Ethekon acknowledged that low voter turnout in certain regions is often caused by external factors such as drought and insecurity.
He suggested that election planning should consider these realities to ensure that voters are not forced to choose between survival and participating in elections.
“In some areas, people are dealing with drought, and during elections, they prioritize finding food over voting. Insecurity is also a major concern. In some regions, when security forces are reassigned to protect elections, a vacuum is left, and attacks increase,”Ethekon noted.
To address these challenges, Ethekon proposed working with county governments and special programs to provide emergency relief food in drought-hit areas during election periods.
“If people are struggling to survive, voting becomes a luxury. We must ensure they get some relief so they can participate in elections without worrying about their next meal,” he said.
Ethekon’s proposals come at a time when concerns have been raised about the exclusion of certain groups from Kenya’s electoral process. If appointed as IEBC chair, he says he will work “around the clock” to ensure that every Kenyan, regardless of location or background, can exercise their right to vote.
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