As the country is approaching the general elections in August, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is taking measures to ensure free and fair elections.
The governing board, responsible for conducting the elections, is taking different measures to ensure that no issue will come in the way of delivering honest results.
Over the past few weeks, they have been trying to push through a request to the parliament, that would allow the officials to open sealed ballot boxes after the casting of votes is over, to check for any ‘stray’ materials.
Although the members of parliament disagreed on that request, it became a topic of interest to Obinna who discussed it today on Thursday’s Morning Kiss show.
“IEBC seeks a window to open sealed ballot boxes and it is asking the parliament to change the law and allow the presiding officer to reopen ballot boxes after being sealed at the closing of counting of votes they say that this is rare circumstances,” said Obinna as he laughed.
He added saying, “They say that under this new rule the presiding officer with such an issue will consult the constituency returning officer of the existence of such material on arrival at the constituency tallying center.”
Obinna quickly aired out his opinion leaning on the no side, saying that the presiding officer has only one job and that is to ensure that every ballot paper is inserted in the right box and that they should just be watching out instead of asking for a re-do.
He added, “Now they are saying that you have to call witnesses when the presiding officer is opening the ballot box, and they sign. If the agents refuse, they would have to phone the commission for further guidance.”
According to Obinna, such a proposal still bares a lot of question marks.
Do you think that such a proposal should be accepted?
Check out the video conversation below:
IEBC seeks law change on ballot box sealing, they want approval to open boxes if presiding officers wrongly put in "stray" materials @ogaobinna #KameneAndObinna pic.twitter.com/BYSPEuvwyb
— Kiss 100 Kenya (@Kiss100kenya) May 12, 2022