Azimio-One Kenya coalition deputy presidential candidate Martha Karua has advised the nation to trust the electoral agency’s capability to carry out August elections.
Speaking at the Catholic University of East Africa in a campaign dubbed ‘One Million Women Votes for Martha’ Initiative along with Ida Odinga, she noted that the electoral body should stand up for your country and do what is right.
“We do not trust ourselves and we do not trust IEBC and they also do not trust themselves. IEBC, stand up for your country and do what is right,” Karua said.
Karua sentiments come at a time the commission’s readiness to oversee the elections in August has been questioned by several people including the civil society.
The ten civil societies united under the banner of the Angaza Movement claimed that the IEBC was not prepared, citing a number of indicators such as meddling with the voter register, fairness in the procurement of election materials, secure electoral technology, ambiguity in the election schedule, and non-gazettement of polling places among others.
Regarding interference with the Elections Technology System that resulted in the transfer of voters in the Register, Annet Nerima of the Kenya Human Rights Commission, exposed a serious security threat to the safety of voters’ data.
“With almost five years to prepare, it looks like the IEBC has been caught napping creating fears that all may not be well at the institution. The allegation of about one million missing voters needs to be clarified to avoid changing, deleting or amending voters’ records without any trace,” said Nerima.
Deputy President William Ruto raised concern over a potential voter transfer in the IEBC registration
According to Nerima, the foundation of a legitimate election is a complete and verifiable voter’s list, and Kenyans’ impression of a faulty voter list can only hurt the outcome of the election.
The activists demanded weekly updates on the IEBC’s operations with 63 days till the elections in order to allay doubt and voter apathy.
International Commission of Jurists-Kenya program manager Julie Matheka urged the Wafula Chebukati-led organization to provide regular updates on the purchase, configuration, and testing of the Kenya Integrated Election Management System (KIEMS) kits before August 9.
“Polling stations are yet to be gazetted and our worry is that time is running out as all the stations must be kitted with KIEMS and have the ability to transmit election results electronically,” Nerima added.