NAIROBII, Kenya Apr 15 – The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has strongly defended the integrity of Kenya’s presidential election tallying system, urging the High Court to dismiss a petition filed by Senator Okiya Omtatah and Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
In its response, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission maintained that the national tallying process is lawful, transparent, and firmly grounded in the Constitution and electoral laws.
IEBC told the court that the National Tallying Centre does not in any way alter presidential election results. Instead, it only verifies and aggregates figures transmitted from constituency tallying centres.
According to the Commission, the electoral process begins at the polling station, where presiding officers count votes and transmit results both electronically and physically. These results are then received by returning officers at constituency tallying centres, where they are announced before being forwarded to the national level.
The Commission emphasized that the national tallying centre’s role is strictly limited to verification against statutory forms to ensure accuracy and consistency before the final declaration is made by the IEBC Chairperson.
IEBC further told the court that this framework has previously been upheld by Kenya’s Supreme Court, which clarified that the national tallying centre functions as a verification hub rather than a platform for altering results.
The Commission dismissed allegations of possible manipulation, arguing that the system is protected by multiple safeguards, including scrutiny of statutory forms and secure electronic transmission of results from polling stations.
IEBC described the petition as speculative and based on a misinterpretation of established legal and electoral procedures. It urged the High Court to throw out the case, insisting that Kenya’s electoral system—from voter registration and voting to tallying and declaration—is guided by constitutional provisions designed to guarantee free, fair, and transparent elections.
The case is expected to test long-standing debates over the transparency and credibility of Kenya’s presidential election tallying framework.
