Let the media project tally of poll results

MEDIA AND ELECTIONS TV Journalists covering the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights KNCHR's periodic update on the ongoing political campaigns at the KNCHR's offices in Nairobi. Photo/Elvis Ogina (Nairobi) July 14th,2017

The debate on whether media should or should not tally and ultimately make public their projected figures of election results has come to the fore again. The Communication Authority’s Director General has warned media against releasing poll results ahead of the IEBC. With this edict, the Director General touched on a subject far removed from the mandate of the Communication Authority.

Several months earlier, NASA made public its intention to establish a parallel vote tally system. The declaration raised much heat with the IEBC itself quickly declaring this illegal. The late Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery joined in, warning of its consequences.