Kenyans in diaspora call for e-voting
Wednesday November 21 2012
Kenyans in the diaspora have asked the electoral commission to register voters living outside the country electronically and adopt e-voting for the March 4 elections.
The group has set up a website, which they say can facilitate e-voting and online registration of voters.
The website www.kenyansabroadvote.com has been designed with tools to enable Kenyans abroad to register as voters online.
US-based Kenyan lawyer Henry Ongeri said on Tuesday the commission must adopt e-voting and online voter registration as it was convenient and affordable. (Read: Confusion over voter registration in Diaspora)
“Registering electronically is the only feasible and reasonable method of giving Kenyans in the diaspora a reasonable opportunity to participate in elections. Given the geographic spread and time-zones, an electronic format allows the convenience and accuracy that manual systems cannot,” he told the Nation.
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Secure method
Mr Ongeri argued that while Kenyans were able to send money securely through mobile phones, the commission was resistant to an e-voting method.
“It is ironic that while Kenya is celebrated for such innovations as M-Pesa, we cannot seem to embrace ICT for the most important exercise of all — general election,” he said.
Mr Ongeri argued that while Kenyans were able to send money securely through mobile phones, the commission was resistant to an e-voting method.