Technology improved efficiency and increased transparency in the polls, observers say.
East Africa Community (EAC) Observer Mission in Kenya has lauded the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for carrying out a smooth voting exercise on Tuesday.
In a press address on Thursday morning at Serena Hotel in Nairobi, the observer mission said that the police also were in position to ensure voters are secured during the exercise in polling stations.
The mission’s leader, Jakaya Kikwete (former Tanzanian President), said that the police did not interfere with voting exercise.
“The mission commends IEBC for the successful use of the technology in voter registration, voter identification and the transmission of results,” Mr Kikwete said.
He said the technology has improved efficiency and increased transparency in the country, unlike in the previous elections.
However, Mr Kikwete said that there were a few cases where voters were not identified by the KIEMS kit, asking the commission to note such issues and resolve in future.
“We recommend that the problems relating to KIEMS kit should be identified and necessary corrective measures be taken for better performance in future.”
Further, the mission raised concern over insufficient agents from the independent candidates in the presidential race.
Mr Kikwete said that the mission realised that the leading alliances in the race deployed a few number of agents in polling stations compared to the Independent candidates vying for various seats.
“It was intriguing to note that the presence of many agents of Independent candidates…it appears there are many Independent candidates, which is good for democracy but there is a story behind it and we are going to take up that matter in the main report.”
This story was first published on Nation.africa.