TECHNOLOGY FAILS TO DELIVER KENYA PRESIDENTIAL RESULTS DAYS AFTER POLLING

 BY GRACE MACHA IN ARUSHA

Modern technology has failed to deliver the Kenya election presidential results, six days after vote casting.

Until Sunday, millions of Kenyans were still waiting to hear the final results of the two front runners in the  presidential race.

These are William Ruto, the deputy president vying under Kenya Kwanza coalition and Raila Odinga, the flag bearer of Azimio la Umoja coalition.

No official explanation as to why the much awaited results have been so much delayed apart from a hint the tallying has been slow.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is the only body mandated to manage the polls and announce the results.

More than 20 million Kenyans were registered to vote on August 9th, but reports had it that the turnout has been low this time around.

The delayed results of the presidential race has led to much speculation and tension in a country where elections are often associated with ethnicity.

For the past three days, members of the clergy were seen on the TV screens urging people to be calm as vote tallying and transmission of votes continues.

Elsewhere, some TV channels announced that the two contesting parties were "consulting" over the presidential poll results.

As to who has been leading in the presidential votes, is a matter of guesswork, changing figures and speculation.

Since the presidential votes started trickling in on Tuesday evening, various TV channels have displayed different numbers.

The system has been much criticised but defended by the IEBC which says it is allowed under the 2010 Constitution.

"The confusion started when each TV displayed its own numbers", said a regional policy analyst based in Arusha.

From Friday, the TV stations switched to focus to the other election winners with the presidential votes announced only at the constituency level.

But still the unprecedented delay in announcing the presidential results appears to create much anxiety in a country with a past history of election-related chaos.

IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati was quoted saying before the polls that the final results would be in "broad daylight", and not at night.

Although the electoral body has not been spared from blame, it has won accolades for the modern technology in transmitting the vote results.

The Election Observer Mission deployed by the East African Community (EAC) has commended the technology it says has improved efficiency.

"The Mission commends the IEBC on the successful use of technology in voter registration, voter identification and transmission of results.

"This has improved efficiency, and increased transparency of the election process,” said  the former Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete who led the Mission.