As the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) gears up to the upcoming 2027 general election, vocal Narok county senator Ledama Ole Kina has come out to suggest that the commission and the country should revert to the traditional way of voting and results transmission. In the recent past, IEBC has adopted the use of technology to transmit election results right from the polling center to the national tallying point using electronic gadgets. The move was aimed at increasing efficiency and reducing the rate of election malpractices, but this has not been fully achieved hence sparking varied opinions from election stake holders.
Through a tweet on Saturday morning, Ledama reignited the debate on Kenya’s electoral process, calling for a complete shift to manual voting, “Voting must now be 100% manual. Let’s do away with these manipulatable electronic systems!” the legislator wrote.
According to Mr Ole Kina, all votes casted should be counted at the polling stations and the ballot boxes sealed and transported to the following levels for verifications.
His statement comes amid growing concerns over the credibility of electronic voting and transmission systems, with some political leaders and citizens questioning their reliability. While electronic systems were introduced to enhance transparency and efficiency in elections, critics argue that they remain vulnerable to manipulation and technical failures.
It should be noted that the outspoken politician found himself on the spotlight during the last 2022 general elections after a scuffle erupted at the National tallying center as the then IEBC chairman was to announce William Ruto as the winner of the Presidential seat. As witnessed by those who followed the event, Ole Kina was in the center of the chaos hence the heated reactions that his opinion on the matter has gone viral.
