Registered voters started to verify their biometric details to confirm if they will are eligible to participate in the August polls/SIMON NDONGA
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 11 – There was a low turnout at various polling stations as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commenced the verification of the voter register Thursday.
Registered voters started to verify their biometric details to confirm if they will are eligible to participate in the August polls.
At the Uhuru Primary School, the few people who trickled in to the polling centre could not verify their details since they had registered elsewhere.
“I have not verified because I have to do so at my new polling station,” Mike Mutiso stated.
According to the IEBC, the 30-day period will enable registered voters to confirm details like their name and correct polling station.
“I will advice all Kenyans to turn up in large numbers to verify their details so that come August, we can vote,” Susan Onyango, a businesswoman stated.
“All should turn out to verify so as not to complain in the last minute that our name is not in the register. This should remove all the doubts.”
The process is part of measures to ensure the election is conducted transparently, for both voters and candidates.
Following this, the voter register will be revised and any changes taken into consideration.
According to the electoral commission, it has trained its staff on the Kenya Integrated Election Management system (KIEMS) gadgets that will be used for the verification process.
IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati encouraged everybody who has registered as a voter to participate in the exercise to ensure a credible election.
He stated that the voter registers audit and verification will go on at the same time to ensure the commission beats the set deadlines ahead of the August General Election.
He stated that unlike in 2013 where verification machines were received too close to the polling day, the electoral body is now interacting with the technology three months to the polls.
He stressed that the process is only for those Kenyans that registered to vote.
He stated that prior to the certification and gazetting of the register of voters for the 2017 elections, the register will be updated with any relevant findings and recommendations from the ongoing audit of the register of voters and the results of the voter verification exercise as appropriate.
He pointed out that the Commission will, therefore, be in a position to address issues of deceased voters, incorrect data capture and any missing details, disputed voters in the register either on the basis of age or any other issues that the audit may find and then prepare the final register.
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