IEBC plan to deliver a free and fair poll vital
What you need to know:
- The IEBC, whose performance has come under serious scrutiny, seems keen to redeem itself.
- This time round, the IEBC plans deploy multiple servers to enhance transparency in the tallying and transmission of election results.
All eyes are on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) as the countdown to the August 2022 General Election continues. Indications of new political alliances are emerging with the ruling Jubilee Party setting the pace with a noisy split between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, Dr William Ruto.
The IEBC, whose performance has come under serious scrutiny since the bungling that led to the repeat of the presidential poll in October 2017 following the Supreme Court nullified President Kenyatta’s victory, seems keen to redeem itself. Then, the highest court in the land found that the IEBC “committed irregularities and illegalities” in the transmission of the results. Now, the electoral agency has unveiled a plan to remedy the challenges that led to the repeat poll.
According to IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati, his team will this time round deploy multiple servers to enhance transparency in the tallying and transmission of election results. Conceding serious challenges in election results management, he sees the solution in having multiple servers and providing access to the media.
Roadmap to 2022 elections
Another key step in revamping the capacity of IEBC to handle the coming elections is the restoration of its full complement of seven commissioners. After the resignation of four commissioners, one in 2017 and the rest the following year, the electoral agency was severely hampered. However, applicants have been shortlisted and interviews scheduled to fill the vacant positions. The selection panel has a duty and obligation to choose the best candidates to add value to the agency.
The launch of the IEBC plan, the boundaries review, election operation and commission manuals provide a sensible roadmap to the 2022 elections. What is not clear though is what impact the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), which was stopped by the High Court, is going to have on the electoral process should the proponents’ appeal be granted.
Whatever the case, the preparations to ensure free, fair and transparent elections must be stepped up.
