ICT authority validates Kericho voting system in Mutai impeachment hearing
By Faith Lagat, August 29, 2025The Senate impeachment hearings against Kericho Governor Erick Mutai took a dramatic twist after ICT experts cleared the credibility of the County Assembly’s electronic voting system.
The report, tabled by ICT Authority’s Philip Irode, affirmed that the system used during the impeachment was verifiable and free from irregularities, dismissing fears of technical manipulation.
Irode, who presented the findings to senators, said all systems were found to be above board. His testimony comes as the Senate continues to probe the validity of the impeachment, where 33 out of 47 Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) reportedly supported Mutai’s removal from office.
“The number of MCAs who voted for the impeachment of the governor is verifiable,” Irode told the senate.
Bribery and proxy voting claims
The session grew heated when MCA Hillary Kibet alleged he was offered Ksh200,000 and foreign trips to Dubai and Rwanda in exchange for supporting the motion. Kibet insisted he had not voted yet and was shocked to see his name among those backing the ouster. He produced an audio recording of a phone conversation allegedly with MCA Weldon Rogony, the motion’s mover, claiming Rogony voted on his behalf and dangled a committee chairmanship.
The Assembly’s legal team rubbished the claims, dismissing the recording as fake and arguing that the phone number cited was not Rogony’s. Senators also questioned the legality of Kibet’s secret recording, pointing out that it contravened the Data Protection Act.
Another witness, MCA Amos Kimtai, admitted he had spoken to Governor Mutai before the vote but denied supporting the motion. His testimony, however, was riddled with contradictions, leaving senators uncertain about its reliability.
System security concerns raised
Even as Irode cleared the system, questions over its security persisted. Governor Mutai’s lawyer, Peter Wanyama, asked whether “MAC addresses” had been traced in the audit, while Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot pressed for clarification on whether the phone numbers of three MCAs who denied voting had been used.
Irode explained that anyone with the link, username and password could have cast a vote, a loophole that raised eyebrows among Senators. Senator Allan Chesang further pushed for answers on whether any unauthorised access to devices had been detected.
Mutai’s defence team, backed by 14 MCAs, accused the Assembly of rushing the process without proper training on the new voting system. They argued the platform was deliberately skewed to disadvantage certain members.
Speaker Amason Kingi confirmed the ICT Authority’s report was formally submitted on Thursday night and directed that the experts’ findings be heard in full before closing statements. Senators are expected to vote on Governor Mutai’s fate later today, as debate over the credibility of witnesses and the integrity of the e-voting system intensifies.