Wafula Chebukati assures credible elections in August

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission is assuring the public of delivering a credible poll in August despite endless court cases leaving its calendar in a shambles.

Chairman Wafula Chebukati says they are planning to kick off voter verification despite court cases challenging the commission’s mass voter registration deadline.

According to IEBC, voter registration ends today following a court ruling that extended the exercise for two days.

SH7OM A DAY

The commission has argued that an extended mass registration will eat into its budget, complicating its plans for the General Election.

IEBC says it spends Sh70 million per day in mass registration.

However, a case filed by activist Okiya Omtatah, who wants the commission to list voters until the end of June, is still ongoing.

Mr Chebukati gave the assurance when he met Attorney-General Githu Muigai and discussed issues relating to the polls.

A statement from the commission said the chairman expressed concerns that court decisions relating to the procurement ballot papers and other poll were likely to interfere with their deadlines.

TENDER BLOW

The High Court on Monday ordered cancellation of a tender awarded to a Dubai-based firm for the printing of ballot papers, citing violation of procurement laws.

The judge ordered the commission to open the tender afresh.

In an interview with NTV on Wednesday, Mr Chebukati said the easier “option available to us now” is to restart the procurement of the ballot papers, rather than appealing for the case, which he argued its timeline for conclusion will be in the hands of the courts.

The commission was to end its mass registration of voters on Tuesday but was compelled to extend by two days after Mr Omtatah challenged the deadline in court.

VERIFICATION

The commission says the verification of biometric voter register will start immediately after the deadline.

But even that is now not known, especially if Justice Chacha Mwita chooses to agree with Omtatah.

The commission plans to allow voters to verify their registration status through both short messages services and physical visits to IEBC offices, before the final register is published two months before elections.

It has also planned to form an Election Preparedness Task Force, a team composed of commission officials, Interior ministry, justice department and the Director of Public Prosecutions.

However, every of the commission’s plan faces a threat from the courts.

DIASPORA WAR

Last week, representatives of the diaspora threatened to sue the commission over its plans to limit registration of the Kenyans abroad living only in the East African Community and South Africa.

The Kenya Diaspora Alliance argued this would violate a Supreme Court ruling of May 2015 that directed the commission to put in place measures to have more diaspora vote.

The commission had initially given a tender for auditing its voter register to consulting firm KPMG.

But the opposition coalition Cord challenged that contract in court arguing KPMG has no experience in auditing voters’ rolls.

Though the firm has insisted it is qualified to do the job, the case is still unresolved.