IEBC invests in new tamper-proof servers to beat hackers

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries and Commission (IEBC) has said it is installing new servers that are tamper-proof.

Appearing before the Senate Justice and Legal Affairs Committee yesterday, the commission allayed fears that hackers could infiltrate its systems in future.

Commission Chairman Wafula Chebukati, CEO Ezra Chiloba and Commissioner Abdi Guliye told senators they had made the necessary changes at the commission following the bitterly contested presidential results after last year's August 8 elections.

“As we speak, we have invested in primary and secondary data sites now. We now have adequate security systems and deployed a number of different security systems for detecting intrusion and any other unwarranted access,” said Prof Guliye.

The team however told committee members that claims that its systems were infiltrated in the last elections were false and insisted that what they are undertaking now were precautionary measures.

“We have employed special personnel to guard our systems,” Guliye said before the committee led by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei. The Senate team had invited the IEBC officials to discuss the audit report on the voter register.

The issue of mass voter importation during registration dominated the session, with senators asking how the commission planned to curb the vice.

Mr Chebukati expressed concern that the practice was rife in North Eastern region and most cities in the country, noting it had denied many people the opportunity to elect the leaders they wanted.

The IEBC chairman appealed to the senators to come up with legislation to stop mass movement of voters by politicians.

Mr Chiloba said there was need for legislation to be introduced in Parliament allowing Kenyans to be registered as voters when they get their national identity cards.