This archive report was first published on 12 July 2021.
July 12, 2021 - The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is set to undergo a significant transformation with the appointment of new commissioners. Two candidates vying for the IEBC slot have proposed measures to address electoral fraud and voter suppression.
Harriett Igonanga, a former Law Society of Kenya Vice-Chairperson, has emphasized the need for standard operating procedures to track the performance of various systems within the IEBC. This, she believes, will help minimize electoral offences.
“At the end of every election cycle, we should be able to track the conduct of each and every electoral staff and the political class. Through the proper institutional framework, including checks and balances in terms of auditing processes, procedure manuals, we should be able to intercept these risks and track each issue that takes place in an institution,” she told the interviewing panel.
Igonanga also proposed the creation of an IEBC fund to ensure the commission has sufficient resources to carry out its activities. She pledged to lobby Parliament to allocate enough funding for the commission and reach out to donors to support its activities.
Francis Wanderi, a former Chairperson of Export Processing Zones, also appeared before the panel. He identified network issues as the main technology failure that hindered the transmission of election results during the previous election. If appointed as commissioner, Wanderi said he will partner with various stakeholders to educate the populace on the need to vote without being bribed.
