Conflict Around Fresh Presidential Elections in Kenya
Monday 18 September 2017 20:20
Sarah Kimani
Kenya's electoral officials are battling to resolve sticky issues around fresh presidential elections slated for 17 October. This is amid reports that the date may now be changed.
French biometrics firm, Safran Morpho, which provided the technology used in the August polls is also asking the electoral commission to push the polls ahead by a week, to allow the company time to set up proper systems.
Opposition parties want the company removed before the fresh elections.
According to the law, the commission has until 31 October to hold new elections.
Kenya's Supreme Court is expected to give its full ruling on the annulment of the 8 August general elections on Tuesday, meanwhile on the campaign trail both sides are digging in.
None is willing to cede ground.
"These people are not ready for an election. That is why they have a quarrel with everybody. They have a quarrel with the commissioners of IEBC. They want IEBC commissioners removed; they want the secretariat to be removed; they do not want the printer of ballot papers; they do not want the supplier of technology and yet they want to pretend that they want to participate in an election," says Deputy President William Ruto.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga says they are ready for elections.
“But we will not go to an election with an compromised IEBC. The company called Safran Morpho from France which colluded in trying to subvert the will of Kenyans must go. The company called Al Ghurair of Dubai must go. Then we are ready to meet Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto in a level playing field."
This weekend, it emerged that Safran Morpho, the technology company that designed the elections transmission kits, needs more time to reconfigure the equipment specifically for the repeat polls.
That's another reason the fresh presidential elections may be delayed.
The electoral commission has called President Uhuru Kenyatta and his rival Raila Odinga for a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the possibility of a date change and other emerging issues.
Sarah Kimani
Kenya's electoral officials are battling to resolve sticky issues around fresh presidential elections slated for 17 October. This is amid reports that the date may now be changed.
French biometrics firm, Safran Morpho, which provided the technology used in the August polls is also asking the electoral commission to push the polls ahead by a week, to allow the company time to set up proper systems.
Opposition parties want the company removed before the fresh elections.
According to the law, the commission has until 31 October to hold new elections.
Kenya's Supreme Court is expected to give its full ruling on the annulment of the 8 August general elections on Tuesday, meanwhile on the campaign trail both sides are digging in.
None is willing to cede ground.
"These people are not ready for an election. That is why they have a quarrel with everybody. They have a quarrel with the commissioners of IEBC. They want IEBC commissioners removed; they want the secretariat to be removed; they do not want the printer of ballot papers; they do not want the supplier of technology and yet they want to pretend that they want to participate in an election," says Deputy President William Ruto.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga says they are ready for elections.
“But we will not go to an election with an compromised IEBC. The company called Safran Morpho from France which colluded in trying to subvert the will of Kenyans must go. The company called Al Ghurair of Dubai must go. Then we are ready to meet Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto in a level playing field."
This weekend, it emerged that Safran Morpho, the technology company that designed the elections transmission kits, needs more time to reconfigure the equipment specifically for the repeat polls.
That's another reason the fresh presidential elections may be delayed.
The electoral commission has called President Uhuru Kenyatta and his rival Raila Odinga for a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the possibility of a date change and other emerging issues.
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