The Media Council of Kenya has announced that local media might jointly tally presidential results during the October 26 election.
This move comes after the August 8 election results were nullified by the Supreme Court due to massive irregularities.
Results were transmitted electronically but Presidential candidate Raila Odinga stated that a formula had been entered into the electronic system to maintain a steady gap between President Uhuru Kenyatta and him.
By tallying their own results, the media will be in a position to know who emerges victorious in the election, without having to depend on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for transmission.
Last week, Jubilee Party proposed changes to electoral laws and proposed a bill that waters down the requirement for electronic transmission of the results and instead placing manual transmission as the legally binding process.
It also prescribes a custodial sentence of up to 15 years for any presiding or returning officer who knowingly refuses to sign, submit incomplete forms or wilfully alters or falsifies documents relating to elections.
Irregularities and illegalities in electronic transmission of results and claims that some poll officials failed to sign forms used to declare the poll outcome were at the centre of the Supreme Court reasoning for invalidation of President Kenyatta’s re-election.
The Bill further explains the candidates who are supposed to take part in a repeat poll, where the polls are nullified, clarifying that only those who successfully petition an election are eligible to contest in the repeat polls.
“Where only one candidate remains after the withdrawal, the remaining candidate shall be declared elected forthwith as the president-elect without any elections being held,” states a clause in an amendment to Section 86 of the Election Act on the procedure of a repeat presidential election.
