MP Caroli Omondi tables Bill for early voter registration among students

David Nthua 28th July, 2025 09:31 AM

Caroli Omondi, the current MP for Suba South Constituency, has said he is proposing a bill that could see high school students be allowed to vote while still in school.

Speaking to the media on Monday, July 28, 2025, the outspoken MP said that the proposed legislation aims to ensure that students are issued National Identification cards and registered as voters either when they turn 18 or within six months of reaching that age.

“I have proposed some bill and in fact tomorrow I am appearing before the National Security Committee on the issuance of the ID cards, free of charge to students when they turn 18 or 6 months to 18 years,” Omondi said.

Suba South MP Caroli Omondi during a past parliamentary committee meeting. PHOTO/https://www.facebook.com/capitalfmkenya

According to him, the new system would work hand-in-hand with the soon-to-be-launched smart access and identification card that contains a chip. This chip, he explained, would serve multiple purposes, including the right to vote and acting as an official national ID.

“That system, if we combine it with the smart access and identification cards, which is coming soon with a chip and which can allow you to vote and everything, we will have resolved so many issues,” he added.

Omondi further noted that upon reaching the age of 18, a student’s information would be linked directly to the IEBC database and also the Department of Registration of Persons to streamline both voting and identity registration processes.

“At the turn of 18, which will be a voter’s card going to the IEBC database and also to the registration of persons as a national identification card,” he said.