IEBC explains differences in votes for presidential, gubenatorial, woman rep elections

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has addressed concerns by the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya alliance that the number of legitimate votes for the presidential race was different from the number of valid votes for the governor and woman representative races.

IEBC acting Director of Voter Registration and Electoral Operations Moses Ledama Sunkuli said in his affidavit filed at the Supreme Court that in addition to votes from prisons and the diaspora, violence had an impact on the final results.

IEBC files reponse to presidential election petitions at the Supreme Court Pulse Live Kenya

Presidential election vs Gubernatorial election

About 14,213,137 votes were cast in the presidential election, and 13,347,058 votes were cast in the gubernatorial elections in all counties except Mombasa and Kakamega, whose elections were scheduled for Monday, August 29, 2022.

The IEBC official said the postponement of elections in different parts of the country also affected the final tallies.

"Nairobi county governor had 7 polling stations in Mathare and Starehe constituencies which did not report any result as the Form 37As (County Governor Election Results at the Polling Station) were locked in the ballot boxes and refusal of agents to open the said ballot boxes.

"Narok County - Stations in Narok South and Emurua Dikirr Constituencies - Results were not included in the Tally (Governor - Olontare Primary School - 299 voters, Soimingin Primary School - 653 voters and Ole Nkanai Primary School - 680 voters) (C) due to violence," Sunkuli explained in his affidavit.

A general view of Independent Boundaries and Electoral Commission (IEBC) ballot boxes containing marked ballots at Kiamaina Secondary School polling station in Bahati Constituency. (Photo by James Wakibia/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) Pulse Live Kenya

Woman Rep elections vs Presidential election

While about 14,213,137 votes were cast in the presidential election, only 13,791,624 votes were cast in the woman rep elections.

Sunkuli said that only 46 woman rep positions were on the ballot because the Kericho Woman Representative position was elected unopposed.

"Kericho County Woman Member to the National Assembly was unopposed. Where a candidate was confirmed as unopposed, the Commission did not print ballot papers," the IEBC official explained.

He also said the votes at this level were also affected by violence stating that "Nairobi County Woman Member to the National Assembly had 7 polling stations in Mathare and Starehe Constituencies which did report any results as Form 39A (County woman Representative to the National Assembly election result at the Polling Station) s were locked in Ballot boxes and agents refused to open the said ballot boxes.”

"Narok County - Stations in Narok South and Emurua Dikirr Constituencies - Results for Ole Nkanai Primary School was not included in the tallying of the County Woman Member of the National Assembly due to violence," Sunkuli said in his court documents.