Mombasa leaders are intensifying the mobilisation and targeted sensitisation of youth to register as voters, with only nine days remaining before the 30-day Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration exercise comes to a close.
Since the start of the exercise on March 30, 2026, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has registered an impressive 1,370,930 new voters countrywide. Mombasa County has so far recorded 32,625 newly registered voters.
According to the IEBC, Mombasa had 641,913 registered voters across its six constituencies during the 2022 General Election. Kisauni led with 135,276 voters, followed by Nyali with 124,253, Mvita with 118,974, Changamwe with 93,561, and Jomvu with 75,085.
To boost these numbers, Mombasa leaders, led by prominent businessman Abubakar Joho, have rolled out a dynamic voter registration campaign targeting the youth.
The businessman led hundreds of energetic youth in an early morning jogging session in Changamwe Constituency, which culminated in a voter registration exercise that successfully enlisted 200 youth as new voters.
Joho exhorted the youth to shun indecorous behaviour, drug and substance abuse, and crime and instead utilise their time productively by engaging in sports and constructive activities.
He noted that discipline and respect will open doors to greater opportunities for the youth and cautioned against being manipulated by politicians to incite violence or disrupt political rallies.
“We want the Coast region to have the highest number of votes and to contribute significantly to electing visionary leaders who will bring meaningful development,” said Joho.
He added that the youth should also abandon the culture of handouts and instead focus on their academics to fulfil their career aspirations.
To empower the enthusiastic youth, Mombasa Speaker Aharub Khatri pledged to pay passport fees for 30 youth to enable them to apply for overseas job opportunities.
“The youth have lamented about unemployment for a long time. The Mombasa County Assembly has passed the Mombasa County Revolving Fund, which will provide youth with interest-free loans to initiate viable income-generating activities,” stated Khatri.
Area MP Omar Mwinyi emphasised that voter registration is the cornerstone for the county to fully benefit from national revenue allocated by the Commission on Revenue Allocation.
“If our number of registered voters is low, even our shareable revenue will be limited. At the national table where resources are shared, our Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho will be questioned about our voter numbers. If you haven’t registered, you will be holding us back,” said Mwinyi.
“It is paramount that you register. Do not hold us back. There is an upcoming specialised training for youth with Bachelor’s degrees in engineering, who will undergo training at the Railway Training Institute before being employed as train drivers earning attractive salaries,” he added.
The MP further urged the youth to apply for the revolving fund and utilise it prudently as seed capital to start sustainable income-generating ventures and transform their lives.
Eng. Tolbert Masanju, founder of Team Discipline, said the initiative seeks to mobilise and sensitise youth across Nyali, Kisauni, Mvita, Jomvu, Changamwe, and Likoni sub-counties to register as voters.
“We want to bring all the youth together to foster unity and discourage criminal activities. Regular exercise instils discipline among youth. Crime rates have significantly reduced in our areas because of this impactful initiative,” said Masanju.
19-year-old Brenda Kimanzi, who registered as a voter for the first time, urged fellow youth to step out of their comfort zones and seize the opportunity to register and elect leaders of their choice.
“It is my time to register, and I am excited. I want a servant leader who will truly work for us,” she said.
Hamisi Tsuma, also a first-time registered voter, described the process as seamless and efficient, urging other youth to take advantage of the remaining days and register before the mass voter registration window closes.
By Sadik Hassan
