Opposition issues fresh demands to IEBC in first meet

The National Super Alliance (NASA) now wants the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to assure it, in writing, that the voter register will be audited and thoroughly cleaned up to avoid cases of double registration or ‘dead and ghost’ voters participating in the electoral process.

NASA says that the IEBC needs to assure it that the integrity of the voter register can be ascertained and that it is acceptable to all parties participating in the elections.

NASA leaders led by Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Moses Wetangula and Musalia Mudavadi, have consistently argued that the Jubilee administration has been colluding with the IEBC to rig the August 8 elections in favour of the incumbent, President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto.

The Odinga-led faction has on several occasions said that Jubilee has been using state resources to manipulate the system in its favour.

NASA was speaking to the press after the newly appointed IEBC commissioners, led by chairman Wafula Wanyonyi Chebukati, paid a courtesy call to the opposition at Odinga’s Capitol Hill office in Nairobi’s Upper Hill area.

The opposition also wants assurance by the IEBC, in writing, that an independent ICT certification body shall certify the electronic register of voters. This, it says, will block any attempts to infiltrate the system and manipulate the data and the contents of the voter register and election results.

Further, the NASA faction also wants the IEBC to assure it that the process of appointing an audit firm to clean the voter register will be above board.

“Assurance that the process of appointment of the auditing firm and audit of the register shall be above board, inclusive and acceptable to all stakeholders,” said NASA.

The opposition also wants the commission secretariat vetted so as the compromised staff are sent packing.

“Assurance that as per the election laws the commission shall vet the secretariat staff and weed out the compromised elements especially but not limited to the following directorates ICT and registration of voters.”