Security officers keep vigil at Mvita tallying centre, Mombasa. [File, Standard] A recent gazette notice by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), has deeply unsettled Kenyans living abroad. The notice announced continuous voter registration across the 290 constituencies, but went on to state that: “The Commission shall issue a notice for the commencement of registration of citizens as voters and the regular revision of the voters’ roll for citizens residing outside the country and prisoners.” This phrasing effectively lumps Kenyans in the diaspora with prisoners, placing them in the same category of restricted or exceptional citizens. For millions of…
Author: By Thomas Musau
Former President Mwai Kibaki signs the new constitution into law at a public function witnessed by the nation at Uhuru Park, Nairobi. [Courtesy] Fifteen years since the 2010 Constitution was promulgated, the document remains a powerful symbol of national renewal and democratic aspiration. Yet, as the Kenya Diaspora Technical Working Group (DTWG) rightly observes in its statement on Katiba @15, for the millions of Kenyans abroad, this promise remains incomplete. The Constitution was meant to transcend borders and unite all citizens under one framework of dignity, equity and participation. However, for the diaspora, its implementation has been partial at best,…