Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission chairman Isaack Hassan
By PETER NG’ETICH pngetich@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Thursday, November 24 2011 at 22:00
Posted Thursday, November 24 2011 at 22:00
IN SUMMARY
- Commission to announce the top seat’s results first to defuse tension
The winner of the next presidential race will be known within 48 hours after voting.
Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission chairman Isaack Hassan on Thursday said provisional results for the top seat would be announced first followed by senators, governors, MPs and the rest would follow later.
Speaking during the sixth Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa symposium in Nairobi, Mr Hassan said though the law gives them seven days to announce the winner, they would announce the presidential results first to defuse tension that characterise elections.
“Though the MP, governors, senators and women representatives are supposed to be known first, we will reverse the order to reduce anxiety,” he said.
He said voting would be done electronically to increase speed because Kenyans would elect six representatives—unlike in the past where three leaders were elected.
“People in the diaspora will also be needed to vote and therefore we cannot run away from the technology,” Mr Hassan told the symposium attended by 13 electoral bosses from 20 African countries.
He said for next year’s polls to be successful, they should be held in December to enable the commission prepare adequately. (READ: Cabinet to pull out Bill on polls date)
He said IEBC needs to come up with 80 constituencies before the polls which will take about four months to demarcate..
Justice minister Mutula Kilonzo said the government was in the process of adopting electronic voting in the 210 constituencies to eradicate “dead” voters from the election register.
“We want to borrow the technology from the best of the countries like India which have used it to carry out a transparent elections,” he said.
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