The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman, Wafula Chebukati gives a press briefing at the national tally Centre, Bomas of Kenya, Friday, August 11, 2017. [Photo: nairobinews.nation.co.ke]
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is considering rolling out a fully electronic voting process in 2022 to replace the current system, a hybrid of manual and electronic.
Plans are already underway to send an IEBC delegation to India and Brazil with an aim to either craft a partnership or come up with a waterproof hybrid solution that the commission can use in 2022.
"IEBC might consider electronic voting in 2022, like India, Brazil, US and others. This will save the cost of ballot papers, no possible errors, auto tallying and get rid of vendor wars and physical logistical problems," IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati told media editors at a breakfast meeting on Thursday.
If this works, it would effectively put Kenya in the same league with the US, UK, Brazil and India, which have much bigger populations and where the system has been a success.
This is one of the ambitious measures, according to the Star, Chebukati's team wants to introduce in election management to make voting, tallying and results transmission tamper-proof and free from third-party interference.
The commission has come under scathing attack from the opposition on the manner it handled last week's General Election, especially results transmission.
Already NASA plans to challenge the victory of President Uhuru Kenyatta in the Supreme Court, citing massive irregularities, inconsistencies and hacking. It says its flag bearer Raila Odinga won.