Africa-Press – Kenya. UDA party has appealed the decision by the high court that ordered IEBC to use a printed voter register to identify voters in Tuesday’s polls.
In an application before the appellate court, UDA, through lawyer Elias Mutuma, said they are dissatisfied with that decision.
Mutuma argued that the integrity of the general elections is likely to be compromised if a manual voter register is used.
He said the printed register lacks safeguards for enhancing the credibility of elections.
The move comes a few days after DP William Ruto said he was comfortable with whatever means the electoral body will use to identify voters.
On Thursday, a Nairobi court ordered Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission(IEBC) to use a manual register to identify voters in the August polls.
Justice Mugure Thande quashed the letter IEBC wrote to Azimio, that indicated they will only use KIEMs kits to identify voters.
The court also noted that IEBC did not make any room or allowance for the failure of technology.
“It’s common knowledge that data and devices such as mobile phones and even computers which don’t require internet do get lost or corrupted or interfered with through criminal and human elements,” the court said.
Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga last month reaffirmed his stance that manual voter registers must be used in the August 9 polls.
IEBC had planned not to use printed registers on polling day saying they would create an avenue for electoral malpractices.
But Raila said they won’t compromise on their demand for the commission to provide manual registers as a complimentary method of voter identification should the electronic kits fail on polling day.
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