UDA challenges High Court order allowing use of manual register during 2022 election

The Court of Appeal has suspended the use of a manual register in the August 9 General Election.

This comes hours after the United Democratic Alliance challenged the High Court decision allowing the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to use an electronic and manual voter register in the General Election.

UDA, led by Deputy President William Ruto wants a purely electronic register and argues that using a manual register will compromise the integrity of the election.

This comes less than 12 hours before the August 9, 2022, General Election.

IEBC Chair Wafula Chebukati with Dr William Ruto when the Commission cleared the Kenya Kwanza candidate to vie in the 2022 presidential election on June 4, 2022 Pulse Live Kenya

Last week, IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati confirmed that in compliance with the High Court order, the process of distributing the manual registers was in progress.

"We shall now deploy the printed register of voters at the polling stations where the names of the voters shall be crossed out after identification of voters using the KIEMs Kit.

"The Commission commits to adhere to the rule of law and will facilitate the realization of political rights of Kenyans as is capitulated in Article 38 of the constitution to deliver a free, fair and credible election," Chebukati stated at a press conference on Friday, August 5.

The electoral body explained that the manual register will be used alongside the biometrics, stating that it contains all the details of the voter ranging from the photo and ID number among other details.

“It has two levels of usage; it will be crossed out at the same time with verification by the biometrics and also as complementary if the KIEMS Kit fails," Chebukati explained.

The decision brings a protracted battle that found its way to court as a decision by IEBC to exclude the manual register was challenged in court.