Speaking during a press briefing Wednesday afternoon, Chairman Wafula Chebukati stated that the exercise which runs for 30 days to June 9 will enable registered voters to confirm details like their name, polling station and identification/CFM NEWS
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 10 – The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) says the biometric verification of the voter register ahead of the August elections will begin on Thursday.
Speaking during a press briefing Wednesday afternoon, Chairman Wafula Chebukati stated that the exercise which runs for 30 days to June 9 will enable registered voters to confirm details like their name, polling station and identification.
He indicated that following this, the voter register will be revised and any changes taken into consideration.
“The biometric voter verification process is provided for in section 6A (i) of the Elections Act which mandates the Commission to open the register of voters for verification of biometric data by registered voters at their respective polling stations for a period of 30 days,” he stated.
“Further, the Commission upon the expiry of the 30 days of verification as provided for in the law will revise the register of voters to take into account any changes in particulars arising out of the verification process,” he said.
He stated that a similar process for Kenyans in the Diaspora (Burundi, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda) will take place between May 15 and 30.
The Commission has trained its staff on the Kenya Integrated Election Management system (KIEMS) gadgets that will be used for the verification process. “All the 10,000 gadgets have been delivered across the country”
He encouraged everybody who has registered as a voter to participate in the exercise to ensure a credible election.
“The Commission calls upon all Kenyans to go to the verification centres and confirm their details. The biometric verification process will give Kenyans an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the technology that will be used in the General Election,” he said.
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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