Statement by IEBC over KIEMS kits triggered an uproar from Kenyans on social media

Kenyans were puzzled when Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) announced that the Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS) kits it used during the October 26 repeat presidential elections may not be accurate in transmitting the results.

The announcement, made by Prof Abdi Yakub Guliye on October 29 left many Kenyans wondering how the much-trusted means of conveying results could fail.

In his statement, Prof. Guliye said, “...In essence, transmission by the kits will not be accurate in terms of absolute numbers, and for that reason, we are not going on rely on transmissions from the kits.”

Here is a clip from IEBC’s statement;

This statement was met with a lot of questions especially because IEBC had put so much trust in the said kits.

IEBC issued this pressor after Kenyans on social media questioned IEBC’ chair Wafula Chebukati over his estimated voter turnout percentage. The number did not seem to match the one displayed from the kits.

National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga also said the KIEMS kit indicated that about 3.5 million Jubilee supporters voted but the figures being announced at Bomas by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had surpassed the actual number of people that participated in the election by more than 7 million votes.

The Commission had earlier tested and approved the kits, assuring Kenyans that they were suited for that task. The kits were supplied to Kenya by French-based OT-Morpho.

Although the several stations had complained of the kits being slow during the process, IEBC responded and the exercise carried on as planned. Those stations include Gitwe polling station in Kipipiri Constituency, DEB Primary School polling station in Nakuru County, stations in Ol Joro Orok Constituency, Ndaragwa Constituency and Nyandarua County.

No polling station was reported to have skipped the exercise following the failure of the kits.

The statement by Guliye elicited different reactions from Kenyans on social media with many wondering why then the kits were used in the process.

Here are some of the tweets;

Wait ! How now! A.)If we are talking about turnout, that is on F34A as well as on the KIEMS. If not how did people access polling stations?

— John-Allan Namu (@johnallannamu) October 28, 2017

Why then are they using the KIEMs kit then if they don't give accurate data— Alphonce. (@alpho_k) October 29, 2017

Forms 34A and 34Bs are alterable but KIEMS data cannot. Why use the forms for turnout? @IEBCKenya @WChebukati pic.twitter.com/QPF1Bi16Kc

— Eng A. Mwango (@Ambrose_Mwango) October 29, 2017

Truth about voter turn-out is in the KIEMS kits. Straight and simple.

— Zahra Wairimu (@zahrawairimu) October 28, 2017

The primary role of kiems was to enhance transparency and accuracy. .and much was invested into it...we cant be toyed— karl mogaka (@karl_alexM) October 29, 2017

So you spend billions of tax payers money on unreliable technology.. IEBC you got to be toying around with Kenyans— Kassi Mukoya (@KassiMukoya) October 29, 2017

12 billion wasted on sham election. It's you and me who will feel its consequences.— Alfred (@OfficialAlfred7) October 28, 2017

@IEBCKenya the purpose of spending so much on KIEMS was to avoid the manual thing you people are doing!, cooking to be precise— Dunn (@Dunns709) October 28, 2017

How many cases did you have of KIEMS failing to identify a voter if any?— Football Einstein (@jamalesir) October 28, 2017

If a voter cannot be identified via kiems, that voter will still be allowed to vote according to Guliye.— Mkenya Mzalendo (@raiamzalendo) October 28, 2017

Then why did we spend billions to procure kits that don't provide accurate results? Are those kits toys? Guliye, Kenyans are watching you— Simba Hasheem (@hasheem_simba) October 28, 2017