NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 9 — The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will deploy satellite modems to facilitate the electronic transmission of poll results in areas outside the national 3G spectrum.
IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati said the agency had identified 1,111 polling centres that will have satellite modems.
Speaking during the simulation exercise of the presidential results transmission at the Bomas of Kenya on Thursday, IEBC Chief Executive Officer Marjan Hussein Marjan said that the use of alternative use of technology would guarantee credible results.
“We provided GPS locations to the Communications Authority of Kenya about all our polling stations. However, they responded saying that 1,111 polling stations are out of 3G or 4G network across the country. As a commission we have decided to use alternative technology-Satellite modems,” said Marjan.
The commission resorted to the use of satellite technology after the National Assembly rejected revised regulations that would have allowed polling officials to relay copies of scanned election results forms from the Constituency Tallying Centre.
On Tuesday, the National Assembly foiled a last-ditch attempt by the Commission to legislate regulations to guide the conduct of the August 9 election.
Chebukati had defended the proposals saying they were key to curbing loopholes that led to the nullification of the 2017 Presidential Election by the Supreme Court.
