Voters line up to verify their details in the register/UPESINEWS
BY EURIDICE NZIOKA,NAIROBI,11TH MAY 2017-Kenyans who are registered voters on Thursday begun visiting their respective centers where they registered as voters to verify their details.The process will take one month of which the registered voter is expected to visit their centers carrying the document they used to register whether passport or an ID. The process being unertaken by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will be on until June 9, 2017.upesinews.co.ke has however established that on the first day which is today (Thursday, May 11), has witnessed few people visiting the polling stations to verify their details .
The IEBC will undertake a similar exercise for Kenyans in the Diaspora mainly in Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Africa on May 15 to 30, 2017.
Addressing the press on Wenesday 10TH MAY,2017 at the IEBC head offices , IEBC chairman, Wafula Chebukati, announced that 10,000 gadgets have already been distributed countrywide for the exercise which will run parallel with the ongoing audit of the voters register by audit firm, KPMG.The commission has also recruited 21000 clerks who help undertake the verification exercise.
“The purpose of the two parallel processes is to give the Commission every opportunity to improve the accuracy of the Register of Voters.”
While urging Kenyans to verify their particulars, Chebukati indicated that voters will have to verify their details in any polling station within the ward where they intend to vote.
The commission also observed that upon expiry of the 30 days of verification as provided for by the law, the commission will then revise the voter register to allow them to take into account any changes in particulars that will arise during the verification process.
The poll body also announced that the SMS short code and online confirmation of registration status will be introduced later towards the August 8 polls.
The electoral body also added that the Commission has gazetted 290 staff to serve as Constituency Returning Officers and 47 County Returning Officers and will serve in any part of the country with high levels of integrity.
Chebukati also announced that Presidential candidates should submit nomination papers on May 28 – 29 when the official campaign period for the presidential race will kick off.