The Court of Appeal has ruled that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is allowed to use the manual register incase the KIEMS kit failed.
The court ruled in favour of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) which went to court seeking to suspend IEBC from using the manual register and the KIEMS kit at the same time.
The bench of three judges said the manual register will be used only in cases where the KIEMS kits completely fail with no possibility of repair or replacement.
UDA had gone to court over the use of the manual register arguing that the manual register is likely to be misused and interfere with the integrity of the elections may be compromised.
The party added that the manual register lacked the safeguards of enhancing the credibility of the polls.
“The integrity of the general elections is likely to be compromised by the possibility of misuse of the manual voter register during elections since a manual register lacks safeguards of enhancing the credibility of elections,” read part of the petition.
ODM leader Raila Odinga and IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati PHOTO/COURTESY
In July, Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance presidential aspirant Raila Odinga insisted that the manual register must be used in the polls.
He said they won’t compromise on their demand for the commission to provide manual registers as complimentary method of voter identification should the electronic kits fail on polling day.
“Manual register is a must at each and every polling station. It’s not negotiable,” Raila said.
In a past media briefing, IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati said that the commission will deploy the manual register in all polling stations as directed by the courts saying they are committed to ensuring the polls are credible.
“We shall n deploy the printed register at the polling station where the voters’ names shall be crossed out after their identification using the KIEMs kits
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“The commission commits to adhere to the rule of Law and will facilitate the realization of the political rights of Kenyans as envisaged in the constitution in order to deliver free and fair credible elections,” Chebukati stated.
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