Survey shows waning confidence in IEBC

As time ticks away to the next General Election, a new survey by Ipsos indicates a decline in voters’ confidence in the electoral body.

In the survey, respondents were asked how much confidence they have in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). According to the findings, only 16 per cent of voters have “a lot of confidence” in the Issack Hassan-led body.

Of those polled, 35 per cent registered “some confidence” in IEBC while 19 per cent said they had “a little confidence” in the body. According to the study, 28 per cent of the respondents said they had “no confidence at all”.

The poll findings come at a time when the electoral body is in the process of rolling out an aggressive voter registration exercise ahead of the next General Election.

Chicken scandal

The drop in confidence levels in the electoral body also comes against the backdrop of the infamous “chicken scandal” that came to the open following revelations at a United Kingdom trial involving top executives of a printing firm contracted by IEBC to print ballot papers.

In the case, two Smith & Ouzman directors in London, Christopher and Nicholas Smith were accused of bribing several electoral body officials between October 2008 and December 2010, with £349,057.39 (Sh50 million) to influence them into awarding their firm the multi-million shilling printing tender.

The two were found guilty and jailed for the offence.

Named officials

The Kenyan officials mentioned in the procurement scandal include IEBC chairman Hassan, suspended Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir and former IEBC Chief Executive Officer, James Oswago.

Asked on the trend of confidence levels at IEBC, Ipsos’ chief researcher, Dr Tom Wolf would not point at any specific reason: “Unfortunately we did not ask our respondents a follow up ‘why’ question to their answer. But your guess is as good as mine — the electoral body has been in news lately for all the wrong reasons, not to mention the sustained campaign by the ‘Okoa Kenya Initative leaders against it”.