IEBC commence distribution of poll materials to counties
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has commenced the distribution of all strategic materials to the counties for the August 9 election.
They will be distributed among the 46,299 polling locations that the IEBC has declared will be used for the election.
“Today we have started distribution of strategic materials to the counties. Remember seven days to the polls we affix the voter register outside the polling station and so this exercise will begin tomorrow and by end of business tomorrow we will have concluded the exercise,” said IEBC Vice Chairperson Juliana Cherera.
According to Cherera, all the remaining materials including the remaining presidential ballot papers that are being printed in Greece will be in the country by tomorrow.
During a National Council on Administration of Justice meeting on Friday, IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati stated that the commission had engaged all stakeholders and is confident the election will be successful.
“We have engaged and whatever challenges that were there have been overcome, we have election materials which are strategic materials, ballot papers, they are coming in from the printers and we shall start deploying them to the field and will be there on or we before the 6th of August just before the elections,” he stated.
Interior Permanent Secretary Karanja Kibicho said the deployment of the police officers across the country as required by the IEBC has been done.
“We have been working with IEBC over the last year or so, I can confirm that we are ready, as requested by the IEBC,” he stated.
On the early closure of schools, Cherera added that the commission will expect a seamless exercise.
She said that the closure of schools is an integral part of the elections as most of them will be used as polling stations.
“We are happy that the Ministry of Education has announced the closure of schools to be tomorrow as it allows us to access the polling stations,” Cherera stated.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha directed that all basic education schools close on Tuesday ahead of the August 9 election. In a statement, Magoha said that all institutions would re-open on August 10 – a day after the election.
He said the government had taken the decision to ensure that “preparations and conduct of the upcoming elections are carried out seamlessly.” Most public school facilities are used as polling stations.
