Church leaders have cautioned politicians against interfering with the youth-led “Niko Kadi” voter registration campaign, urging them to allow the initiative to remain independent.
The programme, driven largely by Gen Z, aims to mobilize young people to register as voters ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Religious leaders raised concerns that some politicians are attempting to hijack the movement for their own political interests. They emphasized that the initiative should remain non-partisan and focused on empowering young voters.
Speaking on the matter, NCCK General Secretary Rev. Canon Chris Kinyanjui encouraged young people to take advantage of the opportunity, noting that many youths did not fully participate in the 2022 elections.
Leaders also urged participants to resist political interference and maintain the integrity of the campaign.
At the same time, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, who attended a youth forum, supported the initiative, stating that young people should take charge of their political future and not allow leaders to take control of the programme.
The renewed push for voter registration comes as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) prepares to roll out an enhanced voter registration exercise targeting at least 2.5 million new voters.
Under the new plan, registration services will be taken closer to citizens, including in universities, wards, Huduma Centres, and IEBC offices across the country.
The commission has already deployed thousands of officials and registration kits nationwide to facilitate the exercise, with each ward and higher learning institution receiving allocated resources.
With about 17 months remaining before the next general election, the “Niko Kadi” initiative is gaining traction as young people rally to increase their participation in shaping the country’s leadership.
