It’s all systems go for the Thursday’s repeat polls, IEBC has said.
In a statement to the press at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Saturday evening when receiving first batch of Presidential ballot papers from Dubai, IEBC Vice Chair Connie Nkatha said they are ready.
“We are now ready to conduct elections because we have started receiving the ballot papers,” she said as told by Capital FM.
In response to allegations of partiality reported at the commission-at least going by Dr Roselyn Akombe’s confession.
Akombe in an interview with BBC from New York last week on Thursday said IEBC has no capacity to conduct free and credible polls because the commission is deeply divided.
But the vice chair dismissed the rumours citing the commissioners have no partisan interests.
“People are entitled to their own personal opinions. We will not respond to Akombe’s comments. Not now,” she said in a well calculated response.
Nkatha added they have put in place an elaborate security plan to ensure areas such as Nyanza and Western where violence has been meted out on IEBC officials in the past week are addressed.
She said voting must take place in these areas.
“We hope that the police will secure the ballot boxes, the staff, and the materials for voting, but we can’t force, anyone, to vote,” she said, and urged “registered voters to come out and exercise their democratic rights. We trust that all polling stations will be open on time for everyone to vote.”
The first batch received on Saturday was for Wajir, Tana River, Lamu, Garissa, Isiolo, Samburu, Laikipia, Turkana and Marasabit counties.
IEBC printed an extra three per cent of ballot papers compared to the August 8 polls which had an extra six per cent of ballot papers.
But Nkatha said the commission will account for each and every ballot paper.
“All ballot papers will be accounted for after the exercise,” she said adding “ee have six security features. They are very distinct. It’s like almost printing money. You can’t forge the ballot papers.”
The August 8 polls were nullified by the Supreme Court on September 1 and fresh polls ordered within 60 days.
The ruling followed a petition by NASA’s Raila Odinga.
However, Raila has since withdrawn from the race and says he will not participate in the Thursday repeat poll.
He wants demands he made against the IEBC to be met which include calling off the October 26 repeat polls and conduct new ones within 90 days.