IEBC unveils Sh45 billion operations plan for 2017 polls

Kenya: The electoral body Thursday unveiled Sh45 billion election road-map designed to administer and deliver a free, fair and credible poll in 2017.

The Election Operations Plan (EOP) has 15 points strategy aimed at improving electoral processes, with keen focus on ensuring seamless transmission of results through improved of electoral technology.

The plan has also laid out time-frame for every electoral processes and events in the lead up to August 8, 2017 General Elections.

The comprehensive plan is part of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) strategy to restore its credibility following the disputed 2013 presidential results.

"The commission is developing a new results management framework that will provide guidelines on the results management from the polling stations to the tallying centre, including security and storage. The ICT infrastructure will be revamped and staff adequately trained on revised framework," read the plan.

IEBC chairman Ahmed Isaac Hassan said the commission spent considerable time to review challenges faced in 2013, and assured Kenyans and all political players that the next polls will be free and fair.

"The Commission has spent considerable time evaluating the challenges we faced in the 2013 General Election. We have engaged various stakeholders and carried out our own extensive internal evaluation. The lessons learnt from 2013 led us to develop the Strategic Plan 2015-2020 and the Election Operation Plan (EOP), which we are officially unveiling today," said Mr Hassan.

On party nominations, the commission is developing regulations on the process that will guide political parties in nominating their candidates for elections.

All political parties intending to participate in the 2017 polls will be required to submit their nomination rules to the commission by March 8, 2017, before submitting the list of their candidates nominated for national and county assembly elections.

Political parties will not be allowed to fundraise after February 9, next year. Additionally, public officers with ambition to contest will be required to resign on the same date.

On May 10, next year, aspirants planning to contest as independent candidates will be required to resign from their current political outfits.

Kenyans in the Diaspora will also have opportunity to participate in the next presidential election.

"The commission will conduct polls in countries Kenya has diplomatic presence. They will, however, vote only for President and National Referendum," said Hassan.