I'm in diaspora and want to congrats Mr.Hassan for the Good job he is doing.I really dislike the mentality some Kenyans in diaspora have that they have an influence in changing Kenya to become like the nations we are residing at.Africa is way back about 100 years to get where these countries are e.g UK and USA and not until the day these 2 countries i mentioned will change their foreign policies agnst Third world we will never make it to where they are coz they depend on African wealth.Take it or leave it.As for us in diaspora, there is no need for to rush for voting coz we know IEBC is like a newly born child which need to be taken care of b4 we get there.By the way 40m people in Kenya are more than enough to make a decision.

If you don't value your rights, some of us do! I want and demand my right to vote!

Your thinking is part of Kenya's problem, not the solution.

Welcome to Kenya. I wait for a day when things will function as should be. Everywhere you look is incompetence in bold.

IEBC leaders didn't have time and money to conduct voters registration beyond the East African borders . or put it this way, they are not fit for purpose . I do not understand why they had to use a lot of excuses just because they cant trust anyone beyond their pay group to take care of business across the board .
IEBC action is not new among Kenyan leaders , we saw this same reaction during the week following The London Olympic, You wont believe the attitude with this so called leaders. they wouldn't care what our feelings are towards their action or inaction.

see you in court - its not over - we are as kenyan as those in kenya - how dare you strip me of my rights!!

We can only hope that the decision was not informed by fear from some quarters that the swing diaspora voter is a discerning one who would not cast an ethnic vote

Really proud to be Kenyan. Maybe they'll say it is okay to resign as minister if your character is questionable then be able to vie for president. How disheartening?

Why dont u have asystem where we can reg and vote on line, with all this technology it should be possible

Non will understand pains and struggles IEBC is going through... stop being uncritical

The Cabinet influenced that decision.Sudan was able to do it,why can't Kenya?Majority of Kenyans living abroad will not tolerate tribal based politics.Is that why we have been locked out?

@Guest, it is not about how de-tribalized they (diasapora) are! (1)they are the worst tribalists of all time. Just read the blogs mostly by these diaspora's; they are bitterly against the other side of the divide. It is open that one side even campaigned against BHO in the recent US elections (2) most of them are illegals in their host countries. They do not have papers and went over there faking refugee status (using Rwandese, Burundi, Ugandan, Somaili and S-Sudanese names). The cabinet realized the horrible consequences awaiting them hence the tactical retreat. Some are genuine but if it were so, then the GOK would have taken a contrary decision.

The cabinet is made up of people running for presidency we all know who......and they knew very well Peter Kenneth had the diaspora votes......that tells why they were quick to agree.

There. It is all about Peter Kenneth! How l wish we could conduct our activities without linking them to personalities and tribes. Let us develop a policy based society and let the chips fall where they will.
But it must be about Raila, Uhuru, Ruto, Peter Kenneth. We are leading out country into a ditch.
Let IEBC please spell out the problem. Generalities like cost and time is not sufficient enough ground to deny an entire diaspora community a right to vote. How about those who are willing to register and vote.

The govt says there is no resources to facilitate diaspora voting. This is the same govt that has resources to build KSHS.500MILLION palace for the Vice President, allocates another KSHS500MILLION to build palace for CJ, spends KSHS1BILLION buying luxury cars for state officers, spends KSHS TENS OF MILLIONS in shuttle diplomacy for ICC suspects, spends KSHS1BILLION in useless foreign visits by govt officers....by the way Kenyans living in diaspora also remit about KSHS100 BILLION to Kenya annually......

and want a big send off cheque

"where did the time and money go?". It seems events are unfolding by themselves for this election. Is the IEBC really in control? Looks like putting on a brave face!

wee kamau wacha maneno. you are either in DRC or Rwanda..not both

What about us living in DR Congo, may be we can register in Rwanda- its near.

Sio maneno Bauer, honestly i cant imagine not Voting for Tunawesmake, i will get some Leave for the same!

we didnt expect IEBC to do any better!!!!!

Hassan should say that his management is poor but Kenya tax payers money is enough to pay him the president and the entire Government of Kenya.Lack of money have nothing to do with outside Kenyans voters. Where are you going to get money for the next election ??????.the Government does not do business it is as shame to start with the new electro body it will just be a second Kivuitu.

I don't think IEBC is a independent commission..They have been taking all the decision made by Cabinets from BVR to now locking out Diasporas there rights to vote. They had been saying there ready to conduct the Election in december too.. I don't trust them anymore.

governcance ensuring it is worth-less. while costing a fortune. soon the whole institution as is will be declared obsolete. success by shallow manovoures can not and will not stand the test of truth.

why not seek help from America as they are good at it,do you mean i will use US$ 1000 to come vote for Martha Karua

Infamy is babbling everywhere and on everything IEBC touches! Come on Mr Hassan; man up. We in the diaspora have volunteered to donate evey peny that will go into organizing the electoral process in the US. What is the excuse? By the way, here we keep time. So registration will take just a day! Are you running out of excuses yet? Elsewhere, a cabinet minister argued that 130,000 will not make a difference! It seems some already know the outcome of the elections and they know that the winning margin will be more than 130,000 and in who's favour. If the presidential candidates cannot fight for their citizens, why should citizens bother to vote for them? Peter Kenneth is on record for fighting for us. It will not go unrwarded.

and this is one of the many reasons we want this inefficient leaders gone

IEBC did their home work well and realized that the diaspora are just but a batch of politically toothless dogs. The (IEBC) then proceeded to give them (diaspora) what it deemed a befitting treatment. A flick.
Diaspora mta do?
Stop sending the estimated Kshs 99.2 billion per year injection into the economy via remittance? after all you send the money to your relatives not the government.
in my opinion it looks like a case of 'you diaspora can yell until dooms day its all IEBC cares' after all you are sporadically scattered anywhere and everywhere !

This is the most ignorant comment I've read today.Migrants' remittances have helped reduce poverty in Africa and have led to increased investments in health, education and housing.Kenyans in the diaspora are a very important part of development in the country.

I don't know why I have this feeling that you don't have papers. Otherwise impulsive reaction to mere opinions expressed here speaks volumes about you. No one knows why IEBC locked out diaspora and as such people are just but making extrapolated opinions here. Electing to fight such opinions is self defeating.

Ooh,and just so you know,I have all the papers I need to be here for several years(till I finish my education)

The ignorance in your comment is this,"Diaspora mta do?

Stop sending the estimated Kshs 99.2 billion per year injection into the economy via remittance? after all you send the money to your relatives not the government.".

With opinions like those,I;m surprised you can type.

In any case the Diaspora votes cannot make any difference in the presidential election.

I beg to differ.More than 2.5 million Kenyans live abroad.Even if we assume half of those are eligible to vote,a million votes make all the difference.
Apart from that,you can not lock out voters from a certain region because their vote doesn't count(assuming you were right).In a democracy each and every vote counts

I agree with you, but how many people will vote. It is easier for people to travel to kenya than traveling e.g from Boston to New york just to vote.

No it's not.I'll be in school on and around March 4th.If they brought the polling stations nearer to where I am I would take 3 days off to vote.Travelling to Kenya on the other hand requires at least a week(and another separate trip to register),not counting the money needed for the flights(2 round trips).

Oh poor Peter Ken! I hope his would-be voters in the diaspora will use their resources to make him president come March 4, 2013.

see you in court

This is why I always doubt Hassan.Hassan,like the Mandera Eastt Mp,is not comfortable with reforms and democracy. He cares not about basic fundamental rights of Kenyan citizens. He is the one who said that we start from the basics-Embassies in host countries. Why make a U-turn? There are forces working against the reform agenda and they are pushing Hassan to tilt the scale in their favor.

So Mr. Hassan and the IEBC CEO travelled all the way to Vihiga to "help" Mr. Speaker to vote?

Quite some efficient use of taxpayers money right there.

What a let down . South Sudan did it. Kenya keep supressing the right of wananchi. We need pragmatic leaders who can lead Kenya, not what we have .

Mr. Hassan which is which? Did the cabinet decided to lock diaspora vote out, or you were ill prepared? It sounds a little fishy dancing around your statements.

I heard it said that citizens of South Sudan in the diaspora managed to vote. If such a young nation ... and one that has been at war for heaven knows how long can pull this off, why can't we? Someone needs to loose their job.

It is not a Threat to cite your incompetence. It is not like you just woke up yesterday and realized Jee, we need to register the diaspora to vote. You all along were aware of your responsibilities and mandate but choose to ignore them.

We at the diaspora what we need is security and peace to prevail in Kenya at all times. Court actions by some people will not help anything because BVR kits are new to the country and needs more review in future. Mr Hassan i support you because we dont want to rush things. UK

The IEBC is useless just as i thought. It's no different from any other lackluster government operation even though they call themselves "Independent". Five years and you couldn't come up with a solution that worked. Thanks for nothing.

Then why did your commissioners spend all the money and time traveling around the word lying to Kenyans abroad. The time you spent traveling should have been spent planning for this event. Everybody knew that this time will come. Kwani mnaendesha hiyo commission kiushamba namna gani, mnangoja mpaka the 11th hr? I can't understand how Sudanese could run a referendum for their citizens including US, UK and Canada and Kenya cannot. You knew this was in constitution since 2010 what have you been doing Mr. Hassan, you should resign if you can't work. I think you are sending signals that your commission is not independent or it's incompetent.

Hassan knows that the candidate he supports does not have diaspora votes. He is therefore frustrating diaspora voters. We shall meet in the court.

Much as I'm disappointed as one of those who'll not be able to vote, I believe that the IEBC should be supported at this crucial moment. The IEBC is already overwhelmed by the registration exercise locally. The elections are only 3 months away. I sacrifice my right to vote because Kenya is more important than all other issues. There are many other ways that we can all contribute in moving Kenya towards that ideal country we want. This is a learning experience for all. Electronic voting is a useful tool for the future.

That's the worst case of complacency. You are apathetic. They feed you with none sense to suit their narrative and you swallow it line and sinker. If the same government believed diaspora vote would fund their retirement package, we would all be registered voters by Christmas but right now there's nothing in it for them so to hell with us!