The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has committed to conduct a simulation exercise for the electronic transmission of polls results this week after Azimio One Kenya Coalition candidate Raila Odinga raised ten points of concern including technology of results transmission.
Shortly after clearing Raila and his running mate Martha Karua to contest for presidency during the August General Elections earlier today at Bomas of Kenya, IEBC chairperson Wafula Chebukati affirmed the simulation exercise will be done latest on Thursday, June 9.
At the same time, Raila urged their supporters to exercise tolerance towards their political opponents citing past cases of hooliganism where have been spotted defacing campaign billboards of political opponents.
He said that political opponents should not be like their enemies since they are only exercising their democratic right.
“That is an act of hooliganism, which is primitive and should not be tolerated in a civilised society. I urge our supporters not to interfere or try to deface any billboard or publicity materials belonging to our opponents,” Raila said.
On the other hand, Chebukati promised that his team will conform to all electoral laws.
He also challenged politicians to submit to commission’s authority and desist from uttering inciteful remarks that can whip emotions amongst their respective supporters.
“We want to promise you that we are going to conduct ourselves as candidates in a manner that conforms to the requirements of the electoral laws.” Chebukati said.
His sentiments comes days after a campaign poster of Raila and his running mate Martha Karua were destroyed by unknown persons in Bomet County.
This incident followed similar unconfirmed reports that a campaign poster belonging to Deputy President William Ruto had been destroyed in Kisumu County.
The simulation exercise is designed to ensure capacity, efficiency and technological preparedness on the part of the commission in transmitting electoral results right from the polling centre to the national tallying centre.
Also, the simulation will help identify possible gaps and challenges that needs to be addressed before the D-day.
Electronically transmitted results are only used to generate a provisional tally with IEBC required to verify physical statutory forms before declaring the outcome of an election.