Nairobi — The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) says it will deploy the printed register of voters at polling stations following a court order directing it to do so.
Speaking during a press conference, the electoral body's chairman Wafula Chebukati stated that the register will be used to cross out the names of voters after identification using the KIEMS kits.
He further pointed out that the printed voters register will be used as a back-up should the KIEMS kits fail.
"Informed by the 2017 elections, we saw the election risks associated with the use of the printed register. Remember the commission must follow the constitution and the laws of the land and the aspects of court decisions are part of the laws of the land," he stated.
The High Court ordered IEBC to use the manual voters' register during the August 9 General Election.
Justice Mugure Thande in his ruling while reversing the decision of the electoral body to scrap manual registers further dismissed a letter that IEBC wrote to Azimio, saying they will only use KIEMs kits to identify voters.
"The court has found that the impugned decision of the Commission to abandon the printed register violates the clear provisions of the Constitution which provides that where an electronic voter identification device fails then such voter would be identified using a printed register," Justice Mugure stated.
Justice Mugure said the move is unconstitutional and ordered the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to use the physical register to identify the voters.
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"What then will happen to a registered voter whose details cannot be picked by the KIEMs kit for the failure of technology in light of the decision by IEBC not to use a printed register," the Judge posed.
The judge found that the decision of the Commission to abandon the printed register violates the provisions of the constitution, which provides that where an electronic voter identification device fails then use of such physical register would suffice.
Chebukati in his briefing also expressed confidence that Tuesday's election will be smooth stating that most politicians have lived up to the code of conduct.
"We implore upon candidates to please have agents at polling stations, to be vigilant. We have trained our officers and they will take an oath of secrecy and there are consequences of them not to do what is required in giving Kenyans free and fair elections," he said.
