Kenyans in TZ register for polls

Arusha. Kenyans living in Tanzania have started registering for their country’s August 8 General Election. Those who intend to cast their ballots will have to register in Dar es Salaam and Arusha, which would also double as voting centres.

A team of officials from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is already in the country to mobilise the citizens of the neighbouring state for the polls.

Ms Jane Gitonga, the IEBC’s partnerships manager, said here yesterday that the registration of Kenyan voters living in Tanzania intending to vote would continue until March 6th. “We will use the first week for mobilisation, stakeholders’ engagement as well as voters’ education,” she told The Citizen, adding that registration would be undertaken alongside awareness creation. She said the registration of Kenyan nationals living in Arusha and neighbouring regions and would mainly target the professionals, business people, those working in the hospitality industry and students.

Naura Spring Hotel, at the junction of East African road and Moshi/Namanga highway will serve as a registration and voting centre, the official explained, adding that Kenyans who registered in 2012 for the election which took place the following year, need not register again.

The Kenyan High Commission in Dar es Salaam will be another registration and voting centre in Tanzania. Ms Gitonga said although there could be many Kenyans resident in Tanzania, some scattered in other parts of the country, there was no need to open more centres because many of them would normally go home to vote during elections.