IEBC Deploys Manual Register in 138 Polling Stations as 200 KIEMS Kits Malfunction

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) says only 200 Kenya Integrated Election Management System (KIEMS) kits have so far malfunctioned.

IEBC Commissioner Justice Nyang’aya said claims that most of the kits that are being used as the primary voter identification tool had failed in several polling stations countrywide are untrue.

“What we have received is 200 failures of KIEMS kit of 46,229. It’s not widespread; technology does break down, and when they do, we have a mechanism to rectify it. That’s normal, and there is nothing ideal out of it,” said Nyag’anya.

The electoral commission indicated that it has allocated six KIEM kits in every ward across the country to serve as a backup.

On Tuesday afternoon, IEBC said it has allowed the use of the manual voter register in select polling stations in Makueni and Kakamega counties due to technical failure of the KIEM kits.

They include 84 polling stations in Kibwezi Constituency and 54 in Malava, Matungu, Mumias East and Mumias West constituencies.

“Our ICT officers are on the ground and when they are called upon in the polling station they ascertain that its failure of the kit and not any other failure,” said IEBC Vice Chairperson Juliana Cherera outlined

“In this case, it has been ascertained as the commissioners have written emails and therefore have been given the leeway to use manual register.”