Human Rights Commission issues statement on KIEMS kits failing across the country

The Kenya Human Rights Commission has castigated the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for failure of KIEMS kit experienced across the country.

According to the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), IEBC has a duty to facilitate credible elections but has failed to do so.

"IEBC is denying voters their right to vote. IEBC has a duty to facilitate & not deny eligible citizens their right to vote," revealed KHRC in a statement.

The human rights group further revealed that they had initially filed a petition seeking to have manual voter registers available which was denied.

"We filed a petition seeking to expand voter protection by requiring IEBC to have a manual voters register in instances where KIEMS kits fail," they stated.

The Court of Appeal on Monday, August 8 suspended the order directing IEBC to use a manual voter register. High Court judge Thande Mugure had previously ruled that the manual register should be used as a backup for an electronic register.

“Upon careful consideration of the issues in contention, we are of the considered opinion that the applicant has made a case for the grant of stay on the judgment of the High Court,” the court ruled.

The appeal was filed by United Democratic Alliance (UDA), who claimed the introduction of a manual register would cause a lot of confusion and commotion on voting day.

UDA through their lawyer Elias Mutuma, argued that the use of a manual register would put a risk to the credibility of the elections as previously witnessed in other elections.

“There is alphanumeric identification, a truncated register and a list posted on the polling station. A truncated register is a register that conceals some of the details of voter registration. This is because previously, rogue officers would vote on behalf of those who did not,” argued Mutuma.