ELOG casts doubt on 1.2 million signatures

An election observer group now wants the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to publish 1.2 million signatures of the Ekuro Aukot led Punguza Mizigo initiative to change the constitution.

Election Observer Group argued that in the absence of a repository of signatures, IEBC should publish the list of names in the Kenya Gazette or in any other public medium in compliance with open data principles, so that those whose details are captured in the forms can confirm that they consented to the referendum.

“The signatures should be published in a manner that the individuals will be able to confirm after the verification process. That would be a way to further authenticate that process,” ELOG National Coordinator Mule Musau said.

The group noted that IEBC okayed the signatures submitted by the promoters of Thirdway Alliance party’s Punguza Mizigo drive without giving Kenyans an opportunity to ascertain if indeed the said signatures were given with their consent.

It observed that some of the signatures appended against individuals’ names were ‘conspicuously uniform’, raising the question of authenticity and reliability of the signed forms in question. It also observed that the commission had no funds set aside for it to carry out the exercise.

Musau disclosed that IEBC received 1.46 million signatures and about 200,000 were invalidated, remaining with the 1.2 million.

“They could be more,” said Musau, adding that duplication of identification numbers was also detected and some of the forms submitted lacked details such as ID numbers and signatures.

ELOG also noted that despite heavy investment by IEBC to have voters being registered using their biometrics, “both the petition by the Thirdway Alliance and subsequent verification process did not benefit from this opportunity”.

In its recommendations, ELOG proposed for the establishment of an electoral fund as luck of it continues to hamper the operations of the Commission and fast tracking the enactment of a referendum regime.

IEBC is due to submit the draft bill to each of the 47 County Assemblies for consideration within three months from the date of submission.

Thereafter the speakers of the respective county Assemblies will submit the decisions to the Speakers of the National Assembly and Senate.