ODM Youth Launch Massive Voter Registration Drive in Kilifi County

By Ben Okweingoti 

Kilifi County — The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) youth league in Kilifi has kicked off an ambitious voter registration campaign, aiming to register 20,000 young people every week.

The launch took place at the Kilifi North Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) offices, with the youth led by Kilifi youth league chairman Abdala Said. Speaking during the event, Said highlighted that a significant number of young people in the county remain unregistered, with many still lacking national identity cards.

“Our biggest weapon as the youth for better leadership is the voter’s card. We thank Governor Gideon Mung’aro for supporting our cause. Our target is to register at least 20,000 youth every week,” Said said, emphasizing the critical role of youth participation in shaping leadership.

Said also reaffirmed ODM’s commitment to Governor Mung’aro and the broad-based government coalition between ODM and Kenya Kwanza, assuring President William Ruto of their support ahead of the 2027 general election.

Local resident Rashid Mohamed sought to downplay perceived divisions within the party, insisting that ODM remains united within the coalition. He noted that some noise from certain party members is part of a broader strategy to expand the party’s support base.

“ODM is intact. We are aware that some players in government, particularly in the Kenya Kwanza coalition, may not be comfortable with the broad-based arrangement. We encourage ODM supporters to stay focused,” Mohamed said.

Kilifi IEBC Registration Officer John Mwawasi provided updates on the ongoing registration drive, saying Kilifi North alone targets 33,290 new voters between now and December. He noted that the exercise, which began in September last year, has already seen significant progress.

“The exercise has been split into three phases: Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), Enhanced Voter Registration (EVR) 1, and EVR 2. We have registered 40 percent of our target and are moving in the right direction,” Mwawasi said.

The youth-led campaign is expected to play a pivotal role in boosting youth participation in the upcoming elections.