IEBC Commissioner Paul Kurgat (left) Chairman Wafula Chebukati (centre) and Consolata Nkatha receiving presidential result papers at Bomas [PHOTO/Standard]
With the repeat presidential election almost coming to and end, the biggest hurdle for IEBC will now be how to complete the paperwork before declaring the winner.
This is because of a heavy verification process that has been put in place at the Bomas of Kenya national tallying centre.
According to a senior poll official quoted by the Standard, the commission is trying to make the process as time taking as possible so as not to repeat the mistakes committed in the August 8 polls that were nullified.
“The latest I see this process ending is Monday or so. We have learned our lessons from the previous process and we cannot leave anything to chance,” he said.
The commission's chairman Wafula Chebukati has said that the verification process has been made heavier compared to the earlier on and that this is meant to take more time before the winner is declared.
“Verification is ongoing and it’s a crucial process in accordance with the Constitution and the Supreme Court court judgment. We must go through all Form 34B’s and compare them with 34A’s to enable us make Form 34C. All this is important for the final declaration of the results,” Chebukati told the media.
Another hitch to the fresh declaration is the case of 25 constituencies in which elections were not conducted.
By Saturday, IEBC had not announced the date for fresh elections in these constituencies.
Commissioner Abdi Guliye declined to indicate whether they will wait on these constituencies before the winner is declared.
He argued that the commission still has time before the constitutional seven-day provision ends.