Why Raila Wants the Voter’s Card Scrapped and What It Means for Kenya’s Elections

For decades, Kenyans have lined up with both a national ID and a voter’s card on election day. But Raila Odinga, the veteran opposition leader and ODM party boss, wants to change that for good.

In a sharp and clear message, Odinga has called for the scrapping of the voter’s card, saying it is outdated, expensive, and prone to abuse.

Speaking in his first major interview since signing a political pact with President William Ruto, Raila declared it was time for a leaner, smarter, and cleaner electoral system. He believes that if Kenya wants credible elections, then the old way must go.

Raila has spent most of his political life fighting for democratic reforms. With this latest proposal to have voter’s cards scrapped, he is turning his focus to the very core of Kenya’s elections—how votes are cast and counted. [Photo: Courtesy]

Raila Odinga Wants the Voter’s Card Scrapped to End Waste and Corruption

Raila Odinga says that a voter’s card is an unnecessary burden on taxpayers and should be scrapped. In his NTV interview, he argued that a national ID is enough for a person to vote.

“There is no reason why you should be having a voter’s card and have an ID. People should vote with their IDs,” he said.

Odinga also explained how the procurement of voter registration materials has become a loophole for corruption. He alleged that politicians and insiders use the system to divert public money.

The cost of producing and managing voter’s cards, along with the registration kits, adds billions to Kenya’s electoral budget—money Raila believes could be saved or better used.

He pointed out that voter registration should be easy, efficient, and free of fraud. According to him, digitising the process and integrating it with national ID systems would save money and make it harder for manipulation to take place.

“Clean up the register and allow people to register using their IDs,” Raila insisted. He also noted that many citizens, especially in marginalized areas, struggle to get national IDs. That skews the voter register, giving some regions more power than others during elections.

Technology and Transparency Can Fix the System

Odinga stressed the need for embracing new technology, including Artificial Intelligence, to build a modern electoral system. He said digitisation of the register would not only increase transparency but also make it harder for fraud to occur.

Kenya already uses biometric voter registration (BVR) kits, but Odinga believes more can be done to clean the system. He said technology should simplify voter verification, registration, and record-keeping.

He challenged the new Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to gain public trust by doing its job professionally.

“This electoral commission has a responsibility to create confidence in voters. They must show they can do a fair, professional job, free from political pressure,” he said.

Odinga’s warning comes in the wake of explosive remarks from a Ruto ally, who was caught on camera saying they would rig the election if Ruto failed to win. Raila dismissed the statement as a reflection of past rigging but said it highlights why trust in the system must be rebuilt.

Raila Also Wants Staggered Elections and a Smaller Bill for Taxpayers

Beyond scrapping the voter’s card, Raila has proposed staggering Kenya’s elections. Currently, Kenyans vote for six different seats—president, senator, governor, MP, MCA, and woman rep—on the same day. Raila says this process overwhelms voters, delays results, and increases costs.

He believes holding some elections on separate days would make the system smoother and cheaper.

“This will ease the pressure on voters and make the work of the commission more manageable,” he said.

Kenya’s elections have long been marred by delays, confusion, and violence. Ballots are often misprinted. Polling stations get overwhelmed. And long waits to announce winners raise suspicions of rigging.

Raila believes that breaking up the elections into phases would reduce errors and give electoral officials more time to verify results.

The Push to Scrap the Voter’s Card Has Already Sparked Debate

Raila’s bold push to scrap the voter’s card has stirred public debate. Supporters praise it as a smart move toward digital efficiency and fairness. Critics warn it may open new challenges if not properly implemented.

However, the core of his message is simple: Kenya needs an electoral system that is secure, transparent, and cost-effective. If a national ID can do the job, then why keep a parallel system that drains public funds and opens doors to fraud?

Raila has spent most of his political life fighting for democratic reforms. With this latest proposal, he is turning his focus to the very core of Kenya’s elections—how votes are cast and counted.

Whether the proposal gains traction or not, one thing is clear: the push to have the voter’s card scrapped has reignited a critical national conversation. And Raila Odinga wants it to lead to real change.