Why IEBC could live-stream poll results

IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will live-stream the final results of the General Election if a controversial amendment by lawmakers sails through Parliament.

In their report on the Elections (Amendment Bill), 2022, the National Assembly’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) shot down the IEBC’s proposal to have a requirement for live-streaming of results struck out.

The Wafula Chebukati-led elections agency had sought for the scrapping of Section 39 (1G), which mandates them to live-stream the results. The section in question had already been declared unconstitutional by a court of law.

The parliamentary committee, which is led by Kangema MP Muturi Kigano (pictured), reintroduced the provision in a different section, arguing that it was unlawful for the IEBC not to stream the election results.

“The commission shall establish the live-streaming of results as announced at polling stations,” the amendment by JLAC reads.

This means the streamed results, which will be determined at the polling stations, will be final.

The committee said their decision was in line with a court ruling that mandates the live-streaming of results.

“The judge stated that ‘If the intention of the legislature was that results streamed live from the primary source should not matter when it comes to the final tally, why should the country invest heavily in technology as provided for in Section 44 of the Act ... Citizens should be able to compare the live transmitted results with the final declared results to confirm the accuracy of the election results.”