Kalonzo promises Gen Z public holiday as he rallies youth to register as voters
By Mustafa Juma, September 25, 2025Wiper Patriotic Front (WPF) Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has urged Kenyans, particularly the youth, to take voter registration seriously as a national duty, framing it as the most powerful tool to rescue the country from what he described as failed leadership.
Speaking during an interview with a local TV station on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, Kalonzo said registering to vote is the modern equivalent of the sacrifices made by freedom fighters during Kenya’s independence struggle.
He appealed to young people to see voter registration as a “collective mission to salvage the country” and emphasised that change would not come through violence or the use of arms, but through the ballot.
“My appeal to Kenyans is to take this as a very important national enterprise, a collective will to salvage our country. We cannot do that by the use of bullets and arms. I want to urge Kenyans to come out and register as voters. It is a collective responsibility on our part to salvage this country like our forefathers did when they fought for independence,” Kalonzo said.
The appeal comes after the former Chief Justice David Maraga launched a campaign aimed at adding 5 million new people to the voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general election.
Kalonzo’s June 25 public holiday
In a symbolic pledge to honour the role of young Kenyans in pushing for a new political order, Kalonzo promised to declare June 25 a public holiday if his administration takes office.
He said the day would serve as a reminder of the sacrifices made by Gen Z activists who have been at the forefront of demanding accountability and change.
“The issue before us is to salvage the country. These young Kenyans have sacrificed themselves for the new Kenya; that is why I say that we will never forget them. I have promised that the 25th of June, under our administration, will be a public holiday. Come out, take your IDs, register as voters, and drive out a system that all of us know has failed this country,” he said.
Continuous Voter Registration (CVR)
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has already announced that Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) will resume on Monday, September 29, across all counties.
Eligible Kenyans, especially first-time voters, have been encouraged to visit their nearest IEBC offices to either register or transfer their voting details.
Mumias East MP Peter Salasya urged Kenyan youth to register as voters ahead of the 2027 General Election, stressing that their voice is crucial in shaping the country’s future.
Martha Karua’s People’s Liberation Party (PLP) also called on Kenyan youth to seize the opportunity presented by the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
In a statement shared via social media on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, PLP said the participation of the youth will be key in shaping the country’s future ahead of the 2027 General Election.