IEBC to carry out mock election in June

IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati (fromleft),NCCK General Secretary Canon Peter Karanja and the Thika ACK Bishop Julius Wanyoike at NCCK headquarters Limuru NCCK Clergy and Elders Consultative Forum to address issues of the on coming August 2017 elections 03/04/17 PHOTO MOSES OMUSULA

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has announced plans to hold mock elections two months' before August 8.

IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati said the simulation to be done in June will be carried out countrywide to ensure that the system works.

"The exercise will be done through simulation; it will not be as physical as the elections. Data will be loaded and systems tested where only the major stakeholders will participate," said Mr Chebukati.

He was speaking yesterday during a National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) leaders' forum held in Limuru.

"We encourage all stakeholders, political parties, civil society and the media to be part of the simulation exercise," he said.

The date of the mock poll is yet to be announced and the first batch of the equipment, including Electronic Voter Identification (EVID) and Result Transmission System (RTS) kits, is expected in the country on April 9.

"We shall be ready for the verification exercise from May 10 to June 10. We are encouraging Kenyans to turn out in large numbers to verify their status in the register to avoid cases of missing names on the election day," said Chebukati.

The commission is also working with various state agencies to ensure security will be maintained through the electioneering period.

Chebukati said they were working with the National Council on the Administration of Justice chaired by the Chief Justice to ensure police officers are adequately trained on how to manage the elections.

So far, 85,000 police officers have been identified to be trained on how to manage election crowds and understand the laws on elections.

"We do not want them to just be there as security but also as part and parcel of the election process. We are satisfied that there will be enough security before, during and after the elections," said the IEBC boss.

A training programme for IEBC staff to ensure they are conversant with handling the election kit is also on-going.

NCCK General Secretary Canon Peter Karanja said churches had brought together at least 400 Nairobi leaders drawn from various denominations to engage them in preaching peace in all public forums during the election period.