As Kenyans prepare to vote in the forthcoming by-elections, it has become apparent that voters are not allowed to carry their phones to polling stations.
This has been made clear by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) following claims of voters photographing other people’s marked ballots and sharing them on social media.
The IEBC has stated that such practices are likely to promote cases of intimidation, coercion, and vote buying. The IEBC chairman, Erastus Ethekon, has stated that the secrecy of the ballots is of critical importance in the voting process.
Any interference with the secrecy of the ballots is considered a serious offense. This means that once a voter gets to the polling stations, they are not allowed to carry their phones. The forthcoming by-elections will be held in four constituencies.
The constituencies are Isiolo South MP, West Kabras Ward MCA in Kakamega, and Muminji and Evurore wards in Embu. The IEBC has set several measures to ensure a smooth voting process. This includes having two police officers in each polling station and additional officers in the tallying stations.
The party agents are allowed inside the polling stations, but photography is allowed only for the results forms. The IEBC has stated that the secrecy of the ballots is of critical importance. With voting just around the corner, voters are encouraged to vote in large numbers.