Polls agency rules out new voters’ roll

From left: Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Chief Executive Officer Ezra Chiloba, Chairman Issack Hassan and Vice-Chairperson Lilian Mahiri-Zaja before a joint parliamentary committee on the body at Parliament Buildings, on August 2, 2016. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Committee sources said the commissioners would not be required to respond in public to specific allegations made against them.
  • On Tuesday, electoral commission chairman Ahmed Issack Hassan warned against the clamour, pushed by Cord for a new voters’ register.
  • The register has taken long to prepare since the Interim Independent Electoral Commission in 2009, IEBC Chairman Issack Hassan said.
  • Cord has been pushing for fresh registration of voters but Jubilee has argued that there was no problem with the current one.

Electoral Commissioners on Tuesday opposed suggestions for a new voters’ register to replace the current one.

They termed the proposal costly and time-consuming ahead of the General Election scheduled for August next year.

And they told a joint committee of MPs deciding the future of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, that they would consider leaving if they were paid their full salaries plus allowances until the end of their term.

But they would fight any recommendations that declares them guilty or unfit to carry out their mandate even if it means facing tribunals, an exercise that would go on long after the election.

The commissioners made their stand known during closed door and open sessions with a joint Senate and National Assembly committee at Parliament Buildings.

They would wait to see the report the committee comes up with before deciding whether to leave office in the public interest or fight the allegations made against them, they said.

Committee sources said the commissioners would not be required to respond in public to specific allegations made against them.

They were also reported to have repeated the offer made to the National Assembly’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee to leave office if they are paid their salaries and gratuity and are not tainted.

“They can leave early on the basis that their term ends in November and it would not be convenient if there is to be a run-off in the presidential election,” said a committee member who asked not to be named because the discussions were in private.

The poll commission will return to the joint committee on electoral reforms on Wednesday morning.

MULTIPLE REGISTERS

On Tuesday, electoral commission chairman Ahmed Issack Hassan warned against the clamour, pushed by Cord for a new voters’ register.

“If this committee decides that we have a fresh voters’ register, that will set us back a long way. If we can, we should avoid that. Let us see whether we can clean the current one, update it and address the concerns of political players,” said Mr Hassan.

Mr Hassan said contrary to claims by the opposition on the existence of multiple registers, the commission has one voters’ roll which “even those clamouring for Constitution change have relied on”.

The register has taken long to prepare since the Interim Independent Electoral Commission in 2009, he said.

Cord has been pushing for fresh registration of voters but Jubilee has argued that there was no problem with the current one and those who want to register can do so under the continuous process.

Tuesday’s open meeting started at 2.15pm, more than three hours after it was scheduled to begin. The committee first met Mr Hassan and the commissioners and then held their own consultations before the open session was called.

The commissioners were reported to have been emphatic that if the committee is to find any of the allegations against them worth pursuing through a petition for their removal, they would be willing to face a tribunal, a process that would be long.

It was also decided that a letter authored by commissioners Abdullahi Sharawe, Albert Bwire, Kule Galma Godana and Yusuf Nzibo offering to resign would not be discussed.

REDUCING CHANCES OF RIGGING

The document was tabled at the committee on Wednesday last week with a cover letter authored by Deputy Minority Leader Jakoyo Midiwo.
Commissioners had no problem declaring presidential results at polling centres.

“We can agree on that. If you want the presidential results announced by returning officers, you can change that as Parliament. If that is what you want we can have the chief agents having their own agents at that level and they can sign off on these results,” said Mr Hassan.

Thomas Letangule, a commissioner, asked the committee to maintain the number of commissioners at eight in the planned changes to the law.

Mr Hassan emerged from that meeting looking relaxed and even took photographs of his colleagues and staff as they waited for the lawmakers to come out.

Cord has backed this proposal as a way of reducing chances of rigging, but Jubilee has argued for an improved Results Transmission System as well as scanning of the forms at the polling station and transmission to the national tallying centre.

The law would also have to be changed as it currently states that the chairman of the commission is the Returning Officer for the presidential election, meaning that the final results are announced in Nairobi.

Thomas Letangule, a commissioner, asked the committee to maintain the number of commissioners at eight in the planned changes to the law.

“Our experience is that it has been very effective as the regions are eight and each commissioner is assigned a region to oversee. Eight has also worked well for committees we form. So on the number of eight, I would urge caution as it works well,” he said.

He also backed the proposal to stagger the terms of the commissioners so that their terms do not all end at the same time and possibly create a crisis.