Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission opposed to six elections within a day

Updated Friday, September 6th 2013 at 16:16 GMT +3

By Standard Digital Reporter

Mombasa, Kenya: The Independent Election and Boundaries Commission ( IEBC) has proposed a raft of laws to govern future General Elections.

IEBC Chairman Mr. Isaak Hassan said that future polls should be staggered and not held six elections in one day (in reference to the March 4, 2013 General elections) towards efficiency.

He said that Kenya should start a debate and discussion if it is viable and sustainable to hold future six polls within a day. “We also propose that that a law should be passed to stop MPs from passing laws that favour them and their preferred political parties ahead of polls,” Mr. Hassan said.

The IEBC Chairman called for legislation that limits time to amend or pass any electoral laws to six months before the polls. The IEBC Chairman further proposed that delimitation of boundaries should be hived from the electoral body.

The IEBC Chairman was speaking at the East Africa Law Society (EALS) regional conference on elections and constitutional trends at The Serena Beach Hotel and Spa in Mombasa County. The theme of the two day Conference that has attracted Judges, Lawyers, Scholars and Electoral experts from Africa is Emerging Electoral and Constitutional Trends in East Africa: Are We at Crossroads?”

The IEBC Chairman said that there were strict timelines in the run up to the General Elections in march arguing that the electoral body had 16 months to perform myriad functions ahead of the poll.

“The IEBC was established in November 2011 and had 16 months to come up with a voter register, procure electronic voting machines and resolve disputes arising from shambolic political party nominations,” Mr. Hassan said.

He admitted that some of the imported electronic technologies were bought from manufacturers and taken straight to polling stations.

“Managerial failures resulted to the failure of some of the electronic machines to be used in the polls which resulted to the use of manual systems,” Mr. Hassan said.

The IEBC Chairman said that 40 per cent of the electronic machines worked and the poll and argued that there was no total failure of the kits.

“Research shows that new technology should not be used to conduct elections until after a period of 12 months,” Mr. Hassan said.