A better way to run elections

By Kipkirui K’Telwa

Kenyans fought after the December 2007 general elections, killing hundreds and destroying property. The fighting displaced thousands, many of whom are still in IDP camps waiting for peace or government help to resettle.

The defunct Samuel Kivuitu-led Electoral Commission took the blame for bungled elections. But the confusion is not during or after and election; the real confusion occurs during campaigns.

Since independence, Kenyans have elected a president, MPs and councillors on the same day, time and place.

It is now clear that when voters jam polling stations to vote the threesome, confusion reigns supreme. Yet this is unnecessary.

Except when there are by-elections, electoral officials at the district and constituency levels are idle.

Further, voting at a general election is taxing to the electoral commission and the voter. For example, in the disputed December 2007 general elections, there were allegations that voters in some constituencies chose to vote only for the presidential candidate and left the polling stations without choosing both the MPs and councillors as expected.

This "explained" the allegation of higher than normal votes some presidential candidates received in some areas. The Kriegler report says about 1.2 million dead voters cast their ballots in December 2007.

During general elections, polling officials face critical challenges. They have to tally electoral votes at three levels amid anxiety and suspicion displayed by candidates’ voters hovering around the polling station, awaiting results or any rigging reports.

To arrive at incorruptible and tallying results, electoral officials have to contend with lots of paperwork, including the Form 16 (A).

Though many Kenyans heard of Form 16A for the first time on December 30, 2007, there are other forms that require the signatures of agents, polling clerks, presiding officers, returning officers and hordes of party or candidate’s agents. These include Forms 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A.

Electoral officials’ jobs never end until the presiding officer and returning officer sign and countersign Form 5A to acknowledge handing over/taking over of ballot boxes and results. Later, they can be called to testify in court, should anybody sue.

Filling in these forms require a lot of time and personnel to process them over a short period of time leading to confusion, manipulation of data and even rigging or swapping of results.

To minimise confusion and resultant tragic events as it happened during the last polls, the Constitution should be amended to allow for elections of leaders at different times, starting from councillors, followed by MPs and finally the president.

This would also ensure that electoral commission staff is active and effective throughout their employment.