ODM wants manual voter registration

By MOSES NJAGIH

The Orange Democratic Movement wants the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to register voters manually.

This is after the cancellation of the Sh3.9 billion tender for Biometric Voter Registration (BVR).

The party said that given the controversies that rocked the planned acquisition of the electronic voter registration kits, IEBC should result to the manual process.

Addressing the media after a Parliamentary Group meeting chaired by the party leader, Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the party said it had resolved that it would be better to go manual.

“Voter registration is a critical process which every Kenyan should have confidence in, but if we cannot put up such a process which is flawless, we have said if its manual registration, so be it,” said ODM Chairman Henry Kosgey.

IEBC has been determined to acquire the electronic registration machine to ensure a transparent voter enlisting process, especially following the attack its predecessor suffered from the Kriegler commission, which faulted the manual registration process and cited it as among the reasons that led to the flaws in the 2007 polls.

“Kenyans do not just want a BVR system but they want one that is flawless, one that can inspire their confidence in an electoral process,” said Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba, who is the Secretary of the ODM Parliamentary Group.

Secretary General Anyang’ Nyong’o said the party also restructured its National Election Board.