To deliver credible results, IEBC must learn from past mistakes

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has its job cut out. It has the monumental task of delivering a credible presidential result.

We have had regrettable cases since 2007 in which the presidential results were always bitterly contested. In 2017, the Supreme Court, under the now presidential aspirant Chief Justice (Emeritus) David Maraga, nullified the first round of the presidential election. In 2027, we might end up in the Supreme Court for a final verdict on who the winner is.

At the moment, the United Opposition is considerably loose with members pulling apart. Of course, the incumbent will help them create more distance from each other to his advantage. However, in the event they start pulling together, 2027 will be a titanic battle. In a scenario of a two-horse race, neither party will be assured of a secure win. If anything, a United Opposition will run the UDA-ODM government out of town, arguably, because the Kenya Kwanza government, for some very strange reasons, has been campaigning for the last two years at the expense of precious time to deliver and the voter will have a clear choice to make.

The newly constituted IEBC will have to reflect on the performance of previous commissions, especially in handling the commonly contested presidential elections. There must be major lessons to learn at three main fronts: First, the degree of patriotism of the officer bearers, second, the attempts of political actors to tamper with the tallying process of presidential votes, and thirdly, the management of public perceptions of fairness in tallying and announcing presidential ballots.

On our part as voters and politically agitated citizens, we have an obligation to support the IEBC to deliver on its mandate given the complexities arising from the very short time left between now and the election date in 2027. We should give them assurance that we support their work and trust that they will stick to the electoral law in ensuring justice in the electoral process. Second, we should give them the benefit of the doubt that they will discharge their duties without opening a window to politicians to manipulate their decision-making.

Since 2027, successful regimes assume office with a public trust deficit. They strive to gain the much-needed public legitimacy to govern for several months and even up to the first two years. It is not up to IEBC to campaign for this or that candidate, and therefore, it has little control over the election outcome. But, in this era of AI, there are new opportunities for IEBC to significantly enhance a transparent process to avoid, as much as is practically possible, another presidential election outcome that plunges the country into lawsuits.

Of particular interest is the direct transmission of presidential election results. In the past, it has been excruciating to see direct results transmissions stopped or even media tallying of results coming in drips. To build public trust, the IEBC should work with the mainstream media to strengthen ways in which the presidential results are relayed without delay. The institution has the enviable task of fostering democracy where it is most visible and where, if we get it wrong, the whole concept (of democracy) means nothing.

Finally, unlike politicians who often have little regard for the youth, seeing them as mere voting ATMs, the IEBC should consider working with Gen Z to secure public legitimacy in the presidential results from the time of announcement. In concrete terms, young people are exceptionally creative in proposing ways to ensure a fair, credible and transparent electoral process whose outcome will automatically attract public support.

IEBC should therefore mull over possible legal ways of embedding their creative support. These young people are an asset in election matters. They should not be left to do just clerical work besides voting. We have had a bloody past with presidential results. This can be avoided, now that we have the time to plan how to achieve it.

To enjoy the peace God has given us, let’s work with IEBC to deliver on its mandate.

Dr Mokua is Executive Director of Loyola Centre for Media and Communication