Let us commend IEBC for investing in transparency

IEBC Commissioners led by Chairman Wafula Chebukati, Roselyn Akombe, Dr.Paul Kurgat and Abdi Yakub Guliye addresses a press conference at their head office in Nairobi on Thursday 06/07/17 on the election preparedness.PHOTO.BONIFACE OKENDO

IEBC should be commended for investing in transparency

This week, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) released the KPMG audit report. This is commendable action that signals the commission’s willingness to be transparent. Kenyans of goodwill support this move, and hope that this is the beginning of a completely transparent electoral process all the way until the final results in the last ward are announced.

Transparency is the one weapon that IEBC has against all interested parties in this election. It is common knowledge that given the chance, both major political blocs will interfere with the smooth conduct of this August’s election. The only way to stop this without seeming to be biased is by ensuring that all aspects of the election are beyond reproach. And this will require airing all information about the register and procedures that will govern the election beforehand. By doing so, the commission immunise itself against manipulation. It will also allow Kenyans to see any deviation from the standard procedure as an effort to rig the polls.

It is common knowledge that the scandal around the printing of ballots by a Middle Eastern company that is allegedly connected to associates of President Uhuru Kenyatta dented IEBC’s image. And before this week, the cloud over the veracity of KPMG’s audit of the voter register had cast a shadow over the commission’s work. The public was not satisfied by the abridged version that IEBC initially released.

In addition to releasing the report, IEBC would be served well to release the names of all registered voters and their respective polling stations. And after the polls, the IEBC should also release the list of people who voted and their respective polling stations. Now, there might be concern that this will expose the voters to intimidation by politicians and their agents. Transparency may also scare away individuals who want to protect their privacy. These are all valid concerns, but they must be weighed against the competing need to instill civic duty among Kenyans and to have a transparent electoral process.

The Government, if it wants to, ought to be able to protect wananchi from intimidation. It is easy to verify if specific individuals voted or not. All you have to do is go door to door and check if they have ink on their fingers. Similarly, it is very easy to check if someone is a registered voter or not. You just have to ask them to show you their voter’s card before they can be given essential services. Increasing, electoral transparency will reinforce what already exists as part of our political culture. Let us open up the voter register to public scrutiny. This is the only way for IEBC to avoid undue influence from our leading political blocs. It will also be good for instilling a sense of civic duty and trust in our electoral process among wananchi.