Kenya party to access vote devices
NAIROBI: Kenya’s Supreme Court yesterday ordered the election commission to allow the opposition, which is disputing the results of this month’s presidential poll, to have access to its computer servers and electronic devices used in the counting of votes.
Election authorities say President Uhuru Kenyatta won a second term in the August 8 poll by 1.4 million votes. A parallel tally by independent monitors based on a sample of about 2 000 polling stations produced a similar result.
But opposition leader Raila Odinga’s coalition said in its court petition that results from more than a third of polling stations were flawed.
At least 28 people were killed in election-related violence, many of them shot by police after the results were announced. The protests had raised fears that major political violence could again destabilise Kenya – the region’s most developed economy – as it did after a disputed election in 2007.
The Supreme Court said it would allow Odinga’s National Super Alliance (Nasa) and Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party limited access to the electronic devices to verify certain details, such as who had used the devices and accessed the servers.
Last week, the election commission submitted two sets of tally sheets to the Supreme Court – those used at polling stations and constituencies.
James Orengo, the coalition’s lead lawyer, said some tally sheets at the constituency level had lacked security features and an official stamp.
The court must rule by Friday. If it decides in favour of the opposition, a new presidential election must be held within 60 days. – Reuters