The Commission successfully conducted a workshop to boost voter education in Naivasha from 10th to 14th January 2022. The training centered on development and validation of voter education materials and messages.
The one-week workshop reviewed voter education materials, which are being used for all electoral activities including posters, fliers, brochures, stickers and booklets, and validated voter education messages and materials. The workshop came in handy as the Commission plans to roll out the Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration Phase II, with a target to register 4.5 million new voters to hit the target of 6 million eligible voters ahead of the 9 August 2022 General Election.
IEBC Vice Chairperson, Juliana Cherera, officially opened the workshop, which brought together County Voter Education Champions (VEC) across the country whose role is to provide citizens with electoral information and knowledge on the conduct of elections. Cherera asked participants to be fully dedicated to the process which will also guide how messages will be disseminated at during the electoral cycle. "As a Commission, we seek effectiveness in dissemination of voter education materials and information," said Cherera.
Joyce Ekuam, the Ag. Director Voter Education, Partnerships and Communications (DVEP&C) asked VECs to prioritize their training to schools and institutions of higher learning in order to impart students with the necessary skills and knowledge on conduct of elections in Kenya.
The workshop was also critical in devising youth friendly voter education information and materials, developing messages for diaspora voter registration and Annual Voter Education Week (AVEW) alongside validating messages for Registration of Candidates (Nominations) and General Election.
Article 88(4)(1)(g) of the Constitution of Kenya (2010) mandates the Commission to conduct voter education. To effectively undertake this task, the Commission identified and reached out to various stakeholders in the electoral process with voter education messages.