Alarm over 107,000 Wajir ID holders yet to register as voters

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Leaders from Wajir have raised concern over the large number of residents who have national identity cards but are yet to register as voters, warning that the gap could weaken the county’s political voice.

Led by gubernatorial aspirant Hassan Mohamed Adan, the leaders called on eligible voters to register ahead of the 2027 general elections.

They said political participation is closely linked to the county’s ability to influence development decisions.

Hassan said more than 100,000 residents with ID cards were yet to register as voters.

“We should have more than 700,000 voters in Wajir. I am aware of 107,000 Wajirians, people from Wajir, who have IDs but do not have voter cards,” Hassan said.

“So, we must educate and sensitise our people that for them to get development, they must register as voters and participate fully in the electoral process."

He was speaking during a meeting with members of the Fai sub-clan of the larger Degodia community living in Nairobi. The meeting brought together elders, professionals, women, youth, the Fai Mediation Team and Sultanate leadership as Hassan continued consultations ahead of the 2027 election.

The concern over voter registration comes as political leaders in Wajir increasingly link civic participation with representation and access to development resources.

Last month, Governor Ahmed Abdullahi called on chiefs and other grassroots administrators to intensify campaigns to increase the uptake of national identity cards and voter registration across the county.

“Development is influenced by politics, and politics is driven by numbers. Those numbers are acquired through voter registration,” Abdullahi said.

Wajir had 207,758 registered voters in the 2022 general election, according to IEBC data, meaning the figure cited by Hassan points to a potentially significant gap between residents holding IDs and those registered to vote.

The mobilisation comes against the backdrop of a long-standing challenge in Northeastern over access to national identity documents.

The abolition of additional vetting requirements for Kenyan Somalis seeking IDs has removed one barrier, shifting attention towards ensuring those who already have the documents complete the registration process.

Mohamed Hussein, a community elder, urged residents to reverse voter apathy, saying their numbers would only matter if translated into votes.

The Fai sub-clan recently endorsed Hassan as its preferred candidate for governor after consultations involving elders.

Hassan promised to focus on creating opportunities for young people, empowering women and ensuring different communities have a voice in county affairs.

Mohamed Hussein, an elder from the Fai sub-clan speaking at the event. /STEPHEN ASTARIKO