Most Kenyans don’t have confidence in Chebukati’s IEBC, report shows
More than 50 per cent of Kenyans don’t have confidence the Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission (IEBC), a report released three days to the General Election shows.
According to the report by Twaweza East Africa in partnership with Uraia Trust, Lack of confidence in the commission is associated with past election experiences.
The report also shows that a great number of citizens have various doubts about the ability of IEBC to properly conduct next week’s General Election.
According to the report only 48 to 60 per cent of Kenyans feel confident that IEBC will ensure the elections are free and fair. On the other hand, between 53 and 66 per cent of Kenyans think the commission will count the votes honestly while between 47 and 60 per cent think IEBC will report results correctly.
This leaves close to half in each case who lack confidence in the IEBC. Confidence in the IEBC is particularly low in Mombasa and Kisumu. Confidence in the IEBC is however higher in Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa, Uasin Gishu, Nakuru, Mandera, Wajir and Garissa Counties.
The research also indicates that a majority of Kenyans are ready for the coming election. Some say that they lack trust in the election process, have experienced some malpractice and are concerned about hate speech.
The research was done in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Uasin Gishu and six counties of the arid or semi-arid areas. According to the survey, nine out of 10 Kenyans in these seven regions say they are registered and intend to vote in the elections.
Dr James Ciera, Country Lead for Twaweza in Kenya, said that a majority of Kenyans are politically active and are ready for election.
“Most Kenyans are worried about hate speech, electoral malpractice and more than 50 per cent have low trust in the process. We must take these worries seriously. We can use this election moment to build trust among ourselves and confidence in the institutions that run the elections,” said Dr Ciera.