Election servers are safe, says Mucheru

ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru yesterday dismissed claims that there was a likelihood of external forces accessing Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) servers during the elections.

He said servers were a serious component in the storage of election information and cannot be opened unless on orders from the courts.

“We want to be transparent as possible; that is why the commission has allowed the media to access Form 34A,” he said.

At the same time, Mucheru said there were no plans to shut down live broadcast unless in a situation of a security threat.

“We’re not shutting down internet or media unless we have a security or national issue,” he said during a meeting with members of the Kenya Editors Guild in Nairobi.

Mucheru said the ministry will not allow any upgrade of the network during the elections to minimise power failures before and after the Tuesday General Election.

Network freeze

Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa said there will be a network freeze and no new products or maintenance will be allowed unless it is an emergency.

“This is meant to avoid interruptions or an outage in the network during the period,” Ndegwa said.

Mucheru revealed that 26,680 out of 27,410 polling centres are currently covered by the network which is 97.3 per cent coverage.

He said Austatech Satellite firm will provide satellites in areas like North Eastern Kenya.

Valid contract

“ICT infrastructure in the north has been an issue due to insecurity. KDF personnel will be deployed to protect the towers,” Mucheru said.

He said the ministry, through the Communications Authority (CA), had partnered with IEBC to ensure steady network connectivity countrywide.

“Results will be sent on an hourly basis. Safaricom has assured us that the network will work well without interference,” Mucheru said.

Ndegwa said the firm had a valid contract with IEBC adding that the provider will play its role diligently to provide smooth transitions.

“Safaricom is in a better place in terms of infrastructure than it was five years ago. Our coverage network covers a scope of 96 per cent of the polling stations,” Ndegwa revealed.

He said the 730 centres not covered by network will be covered by satellite modems which have since been tested.

Asked whether Safaricom employees can interfere with elections, Ndegwa said the role of his staff is just to transport system but have no access to the information therein.

“Our engineers are not in any way involved in content but network provision only,” Ndegwa explained.

Mucheru said Safaricom was picked as the main network provider with Telcom and Airtel acting as backup.

Last month he refuted claims that the State was planning to rig the elections by manipulating IEBC servers.

Kenya Kwanza leaders had named Mucheru as part of influential officials planning to interfere with the election process.

The Minister said the only thing they provide to the electoral commission is internet connection and policies for regulations under the Communication Authority.

“People have been claiming that I have access to the servers and I can decide who will vote where and who will go where but this is not true,” he stated. Speaking at the same function, Interior CS Fred Matiang’i said the government will ensure the elections are peaceful.