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By election results to go hi-tech

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Published on Saturday, 05 June 2010 02:16

Results of next week’s South Mugirango by-election will be transmitted electronically from polling centres to the tallying hall.

Interim Independent Electoral Commission officials Winnie Guchu and Davis Chirchir said this would be a first in the history of Kenyan elections and was part of the many reforms in the pipeline to improve efficiency and ensure transparency.

Ms Guchu said electronic transmission would also be used in collating and filing of the referendum results to IIEC headquarters.

She said when a presiding officer filled in form 16A, the same was entered in the system and immediately displayed on a screen at the tallying centre.

Presiding officers will later present the forms 16A to returning officers at the tallying hall. However, five copies of forms 16 and 17A will still need to be fully signed.

“We are doing this to eliminate delays in transmission of results,” said Mr Chirchir.

The commissioners were speaking at Kisii Agricultural Training Centre where 200 presiding and deputy presiding officers are being trained to oversee next week’s by-election.

On Friday, the returning officer, Mr Bonventure Obongoya, summoned two candidates in connection with Wednesday’s clashes between supporters of Ford People and PDP at Nyabigege in which two people were injured.

Thrown its weight

Mr Obongoya warned Mr Omingo Magara (PDP) and Mr Manson Nyamweya (Ford People) to keep their supporters on a tight leash or risk being suspended from campaigning or fined.

And in Matuga, a youth group has thrown its weight behind former Transport minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere.

Coast Youth Leaders Network coordinator Dimka Matano said Mr Mwakwere’s development record was better than that of the other candidates.

The Matuga by-election is a three-horse race between ODM’s Hassan Mwanyoha, United Democratic Movement’s Kassim Tandaza and Mr Mwakwere of PNU.