Senator Maanzo urges youth to vote, says protests alone won’t oust Ruto
By Faith Lagat, October 6, 2025Makueni County Senator Dan Maanzo has called on Kenyan youth to focus on voter registration as a means of achieving political change, warning that street protests alone will not remove President William Ruto.
Speaking on a recent broadcast on a local TV station on October 6, 2027, Maanzo said, “I want to urge young people to register as voters. Taking part in demonstrations without an ID is a waste of time; real change comes through the ballot.”
His remarks come amid previous youth-led protests over economic hardships and alleged police brutality, which have resulted in over 50 deaths since June 2025.
Ballot over demonstrations
Maanzo stressed that removing Ruto in the 2027 elections is only possible through electoral participation. “I’ve heard them say ‘Ruto must go,’ but that can only happen through voting,” he stated.
He also urged the government to expedite identity card issuance to facilitate voter registration, noting, “I want to urge the government to fasten the release of identity cards so that the youths can register as voters smoothly.”
Highlighting the organisational skills demonstrated in protests, Maanzo encouraged youths to channel the same energy into voter registration efforts. “The way the youths organized themselves to maandamano, that is the same spirit they should use to organize themselves in the same way and go register as voters,” he said.
Coordinated efforts to boost registration
Maanzo’s appeal aligns with broader calls to improve voter enrollment.
Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i emphasised collaboration during the Adventist Men Organisation (AMO) Prayer Breakfast on October 5, 2025, urging stakeholders to ensure registration is smooth and accessible. “Our democracy depends on active citizenship and participation in the process of nation-building,” Matiang’i said.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has struggled with low registration numbers, recording only 7,048 new voters by October 2, 2025, against a target of 6.3 million. Regional disparities further highlight challenges, with Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya noting that only 71 new voters had registered in his county. “Watu ambao wameregister Trans Nzoia mzima kama wapiga kura ni 71; niliona nikatoa machozi,” he lamented.