NAIROBI, Jun 5 — The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission is set to conduct a simulation exercise for the electronic transmission of polls results next week.
IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati on Sunday confirmed the exercise will be organized on or before Thursday, June 9.
Chebukati reveled the plans while giving a preliminary response to ten issues of concern raised by Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga shortly after he was cleared to join the State House race alongside his running mate Martha Karua.
“What you referred to as simulation the dry run of technology will be done next week on or before 9th here at Bomas and you have given us a chief agent to work with and your team, you will be invited to be part of that simulation exercise,” Chebukati said.
The simulation exercise is designed to pick challenges in transmission of electronic copies of election results used to collate provisional election results at the National Tallying Center.
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.
Chebukati further said the electoral agency is committed to carrying out a free, fair, and successful exercise calling on Odinga to work together with the Commission in case of any concerns to ensure a successful and seamless exercise.
“Please feel free to engage us, through your team, we have an open-door policy. We would be happy that we engage even on daily basis, we don’t want to hear things from your campaign rallies about the delivery. Please come we talk, and we will do what we have to do, to give Kenyans what they deserve,” he said in response to questions raised by Odinga.
He became the fifth presidential candidate to be given a nod by the electoral agency to contest for the August 9 polls.
Other presidential candidates cleared include Kenya Kwanza’s William Ruto, Roots Party’s George Wajackoyah, Umoja Summit Party’s Walter Mong’are and Agano Party’s David Mwaura.
