IEBC Commissioner: Over 260 polling stations still lack 3G connectivity

His sentiments follow an IEBC statement issued in March that revealed roughly 11,000 polling stations lack 3G mobile network coverage, with many of the opinion that this could jeopardize the election process.

According to Wanderi, despite the fact that the number of polling stations without 3G coverage has reduced significantly, owing to efforts by the Communications Authority (CA), there is a slim chance that election results from the over 260 stations might be transmitted manually.

Wanderi attributed this to the fact that most of the stations are located in insecurity-prone areas that not even the CA can reach. The IEBC commissioner, who was speaking on the Monday Report show, however stated that the electoral commission will still forward the GPS location of the said stations to the CA for connection. 

“As of 2017, over 10,000 polling stations did not have 3G network. The latest information we have from CA is that slightly more than 260 polling stations are not covered and the CA is working to make sure that they are covered with 3G network,” Wanderi said.  

“The CA has promised we will get 3G network at all stations however we have a problem in certain security prone areas. Hopefully, all stations will be connected by August.”

He went on to reassure Kenyans that the elections will be conducted in a free and transparent manner, citing that despite the fact that the election is conducted manually, there is no room for manipulation when it comes to the transmission of results.

“If you are not in the register you won’t be able to vote or be identified. From there the only other place technology is used is during the transmission and here the election is concluded at the polling station. A form will be signed by the agents and once agents have signed the image of that form will be taken and transmitted,” he said.

“After that has been done the returning officers at the constituency polling stations will deliver the original to the national polling centre. So there is no room for manipulation cause once you send the image there is no way you can interfere with that. Our systems do not allow that.”  

He similarly chimed in on how the presidential election will be conducted in the diaspora. According to Wanderi, the results will be transmitted electronically from the polling stations, which will be set up in Kenyan embassies abroad, upon which the presiding officers at the polling stations will physically deliver the original documents, with the results, to the national tallying centre.