The electoral commission warned  yesterday that voters whose names are not on the electronic voter register will not be allowed to vote.

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) member  Abdi Guliye said the electoral body had accorded voters adequate time to verify their names on the Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (Kiems) kit and will not be held responsible for any omissions on  voting day.

Speaking at the Bomas of Kenya, Guliye explained that General Election regulations require that a voter should only use the document used during registration as a voter.

“If you registered as voter using a passport, you will only present a passport and vice versa. You cannot present a different document. The register has already been gazetted. If you are not in the register, come 2027 to vote,” Guliye said.

Regulations state that should a gazetted candidate die before the polls, the commission would postpone elections in that particular elective position.

“The legal requirement is that if a candidate who has been gazetted dies before the election, then election for that particular position is postponed,” he noted. He added: “Make sure you do not kill your enemies. Some people might find that they are losing so they decide to sought out their friends.” 

Guliye announced that it had started printing and mounting of voters register in all polling stations across the country.

“The register of voters is being printed or has been printed and being pinned in all the polling stations following the closure of schools. This, therefore means that eligible voters are encouraged to check and ascertain their details in preparation for voting on August 9,” said the Commissioner.

He said the commission had also established two toll free lines; 1543 and 1544, which the public are encouraged to call and report any information relating to the registration of voters.

This, is in addition to 70000 short text message IEBC had already availed during the verification process.

Guliye maintained that the commission would use the electronic voter identification which entails biometric and alphanumeric details to identify voters before voting.

Electronic device

“We use Kiems kit. This portable electronic device is similar to in-built to a tablet. It comprises a fingerprint, scanner, touch screen, slot for SD card, camera, inbuilt battery and a charger. This is what forms the Kiems kit,” said Guliye.

He further explained that the Kiems kit contains the text or alphanumeric details of the entire register alongside alphanumeric details of every voter for predefined electoral areas.

Guliye also revealed that preparations to dispatch election materials is currently underway, adding that some of the Kiems kits have already arrived in counties. The remaining ones will be dispatched before the end of the week.

He charged that each kit is loaded with electronic voter identification and results transmission softwares, sim cards of network operators and SD cards containing details of the registered voters biographic and biometrics data for each polling station.

Kiems kits are being deployed across the country in the 46,229 polling stations.