Chebukati says 2022 General Elections were the fairest polls in Kenya’s history
Former chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Wafula Chebukati, has said last year’s General Election was freest, fairest and most credible polls in Kenya’s history.
According to Chebukati, 99.9 per cent Form 34As were scanned and received within 24 hours after voting day.
“99.9 percent of Presidential result forms were electronically transmitted to the public portal within 24 hours of closure of polls. The forms were scanned, we call it Form 34A which contained correct and data of the results aligned to each polling station,” Chebukati said.
This was revealed in a post he shared on his social media accounts from his recent presentation during the conference known as Role of Technology in Improving the Integrity of the electoral process in Kenya.
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Chebukati said the achievement of the electoral body was propagated by the use of electronic devices in identifying voters and transmitting results, which improved its efficiency and credibility.
“In August 2022, Kenya held its freest, fairest and most credible election in its history. I recently presented a paper titled ‘Role of Technology in Improving the Integrity of the Electoral Process in Kenya’,” Chebukati said.
Mr Chebukati added that in his six years term as the electoral body chairperson, the 2022 election was far different from the previous elections that he was in charge of.
In his presentation, Mr Chebukati focused on the role of technology in transmission of results during the election, where he stated that it was timely and reduced tension from Kenyans.
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“The paper highlights the importance of speed, transparency and also stability in making the tally reports publicly available and set a standard that can be applied to election practice in other countries in the region,” he said.
He added that transparency in every election is key to trusting the outcome of the exercise, which can be achieved through timely publication of election results, and that delay in submitting the results leads to misinformation and disinformation.
His remarks have echoed the recent statement by the US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman, who lauded the country for the historic achievement through credible election.
The US envoy’s statement rubbed the Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition which has maintained that last year’s polls were not credible and that President William Ruto did not win the election.
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