If a new bill is signed into law, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will be unable to broadcast presidential election results.This is according to the Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which seeks to formalise the National Dialogue Committee’s (NADCO) ideas on election concerns.
NADCO was founded in 2023 as a bipartisan team in response to the political deadlock between the opposition and the government. The Committee proposed many revisions to the constitution.
The law removes the necessity for the IEBC to webcast the results as they are announced at polling locations.
Currently, results are tallied at polling stations and published on the IEBC’s official website, where Kenyans can access them in real-time.
In its place, presidential results will be tabulated, announced, declared, and electronically transmitted before other elective offices.
“The new section has omitted provisions providing for the requirement for IEBC to establish a mechanism for the live streaming of results as announced at polling stations to facilitate public information,” the bill read in part.
The Bill, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot and his Minority counterpart Stewart Madzayo, is currently before the Senate Committee of the Whole.
The measure also recommended that a recognized firm audit the voter registration list to determine the number of valid voters.
The IEBC will also be forced to create a complementary mechanism for identifying voters.
In cases when important electoral information is requested, the IEBC will supply it within three days for presidential elections and seven days for other elective seats.
Parliament will hire a private company to carry out an evaluation of the whole electoral process after the general election if the bill is approved.
“The evaluation shall include a review of the legal framework, processes and costs associated with the electoral process,” the bill reads in part.
“The proposed new provisions require the preparation of a report for submission to Parliament within ninety days of the appointment of the independent firm.”
