Today's Headlines
- Lessons and Implications of the Confirmation of Charges Against Kenya's 'Ocampo Four'
- Finance Minister Quits Over ICC Charges
- Shortage of HIV Test Kits Raises Concerns
- Living On the Edge in Turkana Region
- Ali Breaks Silence, Describes Delight At Acquittal
- Uhuru, Ruto Eligible for Presidency - CIC
- Tea Sector Posts Record Earnings in 2011
- Resettle IDPs, Urges Annan
- Uhuru, Muthaura Have Done the Right Thing
- All Displaced People Should Return Home
- Concern Raised As Parents Shun Schools in Poll Violence Hotspots
- Ruling On IEBC Hiring in February
- Country Working Towards Conditions Needed for Direct Flights to U.S.
- How ICC Claimed Kibaki's Lieutenants
- Geothermal Project to Receive Sh10 Billion Funding Boost
- Five Million to Get IDs Before Elections
- Speed Up Building Port
- Uhuru and Muthaura Did Well to Quit Posts
- A Full Plate Awaits Githae
- Clashes Continue in Moyale
- Baraza Case to Be Heard Monday
- Two Firms in Joint Venture to Drill for Oil Near Lodwar
- Exit Uhuru, Muthaura
- ICC Charges Hound Uhuru Out of Treasury
- Consumers Grow Despite Inflation
- Poor Relations Between Banks Blamed for Cash Shortages
- Fish Prices Up As Vegetable Supply Dwindles
- Consumers to Pay More for Milk and Bread As Prices Rise
- Kibaki Tasks Ex-Dar CJ to Lead Probe in Kenya
- Mombasa Port Cargo Congestion Forces Three-Month Fees Waiver
Peter Leftie
4 August 2010
Nairobi — Kenyan election experts are hoping that the way Wednesday's referendum vote was conducted will revive their fortunes internationally.
Former Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) vice-chairman Gabriel Mukele said the chaotic 2007 election had damaged the credibility of Kenyan poll officials, who used to get speaking engagements and consultancies in West Africa and Europe.
The former election officials also praised the new measures taken by the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) to curb rigging. In separate interviews, the officials praised the new technology being used to transmit results, saying it made voting much faster.
"Things are much faster, but I still maintain that even with this new technology, we will not eliminate rigging. I still think the only way to reduce it is to introduce electronic voting," Mr Mukele said after voting at Bulwani Primary School in Butula District. "I salute the new electoral commission for doing reasonably well in the short time they have been in existence," he said.
The new measures have been described by the IIEC as "aimed at killing the initiative for modifying the results on the ground." "It is virtually impossible to send anything different from what has been counted," says IIEC commissioner Davis Chirchir.
Former ECK chairman Samuel Kivuitu, who voted at Sofia polling centre in Wamunyu location, also welcomed the electronic transmission of the referendum results from polling centres to the main tallying centre at the Bomas of Kenya. "I've not seen any difference in the manner of casting one's vote, but if the results are transmitted electronically, that will be a big improvement," he said.
He said a delay in the delivery of computers to the former ECK forced them to shelve plans to use them in the bungled 2007 General Election. "In our time, the government could not provide computers in time and the United Nations offered to do so. But by the time they arrived, it was October and there was no time to train staff on their use, so we had to shelve the plan," he said.
Another former commissioner, Mr Jack Tumwa, said the new system had made voting quicker. "The system is much faster, thanks to the new technology. I have visited a number of polling centres and there are hardly any queues because the process is faster. If things go according to plan, we should have the results very early," said Mr Tumwa, who cast his vote at Ben Kapten Primary School in Bokoli, Webuye District.
