IEBC burning the midnight oil to ensure preparedness on August 8

IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati receives kits from Public Service Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Many questions have been asked about the commission’s level of preparedness.
  • We commit to ensure that every staffer gets world class training to play their part with competence and integrity.
  • Every Kenyan who has attained the right age has a constitutional right to vote for the people they desire to lead them in various executive and legislative roles.

Kenyans, including political parties and candidates for various elective positions, have a constitutional right to hold the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) accountable regarding its preparedness for the elections on August 8.

Many questions have been asked about the commission’s level of preparedness.

There are five areas which I believe are critical and, as IEBC, we are burning the midnight oil to ensure that every aspect meets the stringent requirements of the law, the desire of the Kenyan people and international good practices of election management.

The first area is the training and coaching of people charged with the management of elections.

WORLD CLASS TRAINING

We commit to ensure that every staffer gets world class training to play their part with competence and integrity.

In the past two weeks, we have invested in training over 400 of our staff. 

The training included practical exercises using the electronic devices that will be used in the August polls.

This is a departure from 2013 when the training started a few weeks to the elections and without the gadgets that would be used in the elections.

The second aspect is civic education. This is an area we take very seriously and we want Kenyans to know that we shall do our best to listen and share information that can help them make informed decisions.

RIGHT AGE

Every Kenyan who has attained the right age has a constitutional right to vote for the people they desire to lead them in various executive and legislative roles.

This message must go out to all Kenyans who are eligible to vote.

The third critical aspect is the cleaning up of the register of voters.

This has been a major sticking point, especially after the last two elections in which different registers were reportedly used to allow people to vote.

After a lengthy court process, the IEBC was finally allowed to engage KPMG to clean up the register of voters. 

INSPECT REGISTER

From May 9 to June 10, Kenyans will have the opportunity to inspect the register and confirm that their names and biometrics are correctly captured in the register.

The commission will deploy 10,000 Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS) gadgets in all the wards in the country.

This is a very important exercise as voters and political parties may also lodge disputes in case there are names of people in the register that should not be there.

The fourth aspect is logistics. How shall we ensure that voting materials are delivered to all polling centres countrywide in a timely fashion?

There are constituencies which are far flung and can be difficult to access, especially during the rainy season.

EFFICIENT DELIVERY

While the nature of the logistical arrangements cannot be revealed here, I must assure the nation that arrangements are being put in place to ensure not just efficient delivery but the integrity of the process.

The fifth aspect will perhaps be the most watched. How will technology be used on Election Day to ensure free, fair and credible elections?

The KIEMS technology to be used on August 8 includes an electronic voter identification system.

When a voter walks into the polling station, they will present their national identification card or passport.

They will then place their fingers on the KIEMS gadget for them to be identified electronically through the electronic register.

This will ensure that anyone who is not registered will not vote.

TECHNOLOGY FAILURE

There is an elephant in the room, however. What happens if the system fails to function on Election Day?

I am sure many Kenyans asked themselves this question recently when the Safaricom system, including the money transfer service, MPesa, collapsed for hours.

I need to state that while technology failure can happen despite our best intentions, we are putting in place a backup that will ensure that the voting process proceeds smoothly till normal system is restored.

No doubt, this will be one of the most competitive elections in our country.

PERPARE FOR POLLS

Even as we work hard to prepare for the elections, we know that there will be many out there that may share information that could inflame our country.

What we urge Kenyans is to take their time before reacting to information.

 Before you hit the share button, ask yourself whether it is the right thing to do. Has the news been verified?

Can it affect the peace and harmony of a community or even the whole nation?

I wish to assure all that the commission and its experienced staff all over the country pledge to deliver a free, fair and credible poll that meets international best practices.

Dr Akombe is a Commissioner at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC)