Moses Wetangu'la Sets Ambitious Goal: Boost Bungoma Votes from 600K to 1 Million

• Moses Wetangula, the Ford Kenya party leader and National Assembly Speaker, has initiated a program aimed at boosting the voter count from Bungoma for the 2027 General Election.
• The speaker met with Bungoma’s political figures and village heads, appealing for their assistance in boosting the vote tally from 600,000 to 1 million.
• Wetangula contended that political figures and traditional authorities should leverage their clout to facilitate greater access to National IDs, thereby enabling more individuals to register as voters.

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Moses Wetang'ula, has initiated campaigns to motivate Bungoma residents to get registered as voters in preparation for the 2027 elections.

In what ways can Wetang'ula boost voter registration in Bungoma?

Wetang'ula has engaged local officials to assist in rallying the community for obtaining identity cards in anticipation of voter registration.

While addressing the crowd in Bungoma County, he implored political figures and chiefs to guarantee that residents there can bypass the rigorous verification procedures when obtaining National IDs.

He encouraged political leaders and heads of communities to rally all individuals with identification documents to sign up for voter registration, with the objective of boosting the count of registered voters from more than 600,000 to one million.

The speaker stated that there is no reason why Bungoma shouldn’t have at least 1 million registered voters, considering it is the third-largest county in the nation.

Wetang'ula additionally encouraged chiefs and their assistants to utilize their influence to motivate young people to acquire ID cards and register, preparing for the 2027 General Election.

He encouraged them to increase their efforts and make sure that all qualifying citizens receive the crucial documentation.

"I completely endorse the president's instruction to eliminate the verification process for individuals applying for IDs. This decision applies not only to the residents of the North Eastern area but to all citizens across the nation," he stated additionally.

The Speaker pointed out that the order eliminated the colonial-era constraints that made obtaining an ID difficult.

He mentioned that the administration plans to distribute ID issuance offices more widely to expedite the acquisition of these documents.

"He mentioned that they met with the president, who concurred that the administration would decentralize most of the services associated with ID issuance, excluding printing, to expedite the procedure and guarantee that applicants obtain their documents promptly," he said.

The Speaker encouraged Members of Parliament and Members of County Assemblies present to assist with boosting voter registration by making sure more residents acquire ID cards.

Concerning the delayed road initiatives within the county, the Speaker notified the assembly that the administration has set aside Sh1.5 billion in the additional budget for finishing these projects.

Is the Nzoia Sugar Company going to be leased?

The speaker of the National Assembly also tackled the fiscal issues facing Nzoia Sugar Company, noting that the Kenya Kwanza administration has pinpointed a prospective tenant interested in leasing the firm.

I encourage farmers who depended on the sugar mill for income to disregard criticisms from those against the plans and remind them that leaders in the Nyanza area have supported leasing Sony, Miwani, Muhoroni, and Chemelil sugar mills.

Wetang'ula indicated that the incoming investor must settle all unpaid obligations to both employees and farmers as well as provide a new machine for processing sugarcane.

He anticipates that the investor will guarantee farmers receive an additional six percent of their wages as bonuses.

He further stated that the incentive programs initiated by the president for the farmers ought to be adopted by the new investor for the benefit of the farming community.

He encouraged farmers to look into coffee cultivation, pointing out the rise in prices from KSh 50 per kilogram to KSh 114.

Once more, he urged the leaders to intensify their efforts in promoting the registration of most community members for the new healthcare plan, known as SHA, so they can take advantage of the program when receiving medical care.

Governor Kenneth Luska guided Members of Parliament in endorsing the lease agreement for the Nzoia Sugar mill, emphasizing that this move was essential to rescue the facility from its economic struggles.

In support of Wetangula's and Lusaka's comments, Bungoma Senator Wafula Wakoli applauded the government's decision to allocate resources for finishing incomplete road projects, deeming it a step in the right direction.

"The finishing of the incomplete roads would unlock the area for better mobility of both individuals and merchandise," he mentioned additionally.

The other Members of Parliament supporting the lease of the factory were John Chikati from Tongaren, John Makali from Kanduyi, Martin Pepela from Webuye East, and Didmus Barasa from Kiminini.

The MCAs at the gathering were headed by County Assembly Speaker Emanuel Situma and Majority Leader Joseph Nyongesa.

Was Wetang'ula campaigning for Azimio at Ruto's rally?

Previously, Wetangula was involved in an uncomfortable scenario when he inadvertently campaigned for Azimio at Ruto's rally.

While speaking to Kenya Kwanza Alliance supporters in Nakuru, the party leader inadvertently encouraged them to back Azimio but promptly corrected his statement soon after.

At the pre-2022 General Election rally, Ruto said that Kenya Kwanza aimed to bring people together and generate prosperity for all residents of Nakuru.

Narrative by Tony Wafula, .co.ke correspondent