IEBC assures of free, fair and credible elections in August polls

[Company Disclaimer:This article has been lifted from citizentv.co.ke to be used on debates.co.ke]

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has assured the country that they are ready to conduct a free, fair and credible elections in August, revealing that it is taking adequate measures to ensure that the Electronic Voter Identification and Transmission of results does not fail on the elections day.

Speaking on Tuesday, July 18 during a forum organized by the Africa Center for Governance (Africog), IEBC Chief Executive Officer, Ezra Chiloba, said that the commission is already consulting with three service providers, Airtel, Safaricom and Orange, to ensure that there is sufficient network coverage in all parts of the country during the election period.

“We, IEBC, will be making public the strength of internet connectivity in each of the polling stations. We are considering employing satellite technology in areas that are very remote and cannot be covered by the mobile phone service providers,” said Mr. Chiloba.

The electoral agency planning to utilize the 3G and 4G networks, from the three service providers, to transmit election results as they trickle in from the polling stations.

Meanwhile, the IEBC will tonight (Tuesday, July 18) be receiving ballot papers for the Governor, Senator, Women Representative and Member of County Assembly positions which were printed by the Dubai-based, Al Ghurair Printing Company Ltd.

The Wafula Chebukati-led commission suffered a major blow after the High Court cancelled the presidential election ballot papers awarded to the Dubai firm, forcing IEBC not to print the presidential ballot papers until the case is finalized by the Court of Appeal on Friday, July 21.

The ruling Jubilee coalition has on numerous occasion accused the opposition National Super Alliance (NASA) of using courts to sabotage the August 8 General Election.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto argue that the courts are increasingly getting entangled in the attempts by NASA to delay the elections because they have already sensed defeat.

Source: Citizen Digital