On March 4, 2013 Kenya held a landmark general election. It was the first national election since the promulgation of the internationally lauded constitution, which created a devolved system of government. For the first time, Kenyans voted simultaneously for six elective offices, ranging from president to local ward representative.
This election was also the first to be administered by the newly created Independent Elections and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), a body which enjoyed over 90 per cent public confidence in the lead-up to the national polls.
In an attempt to rid Kenyan elections of the stigma they incurred after the 2007 debacle, the IEBC announced its decision to integrate digital technology into voter registration, election day voter identification and results transmission. In this way, the IEBC hoped to strengthen public confidence – both domestically and internationally – in the transparency and verifiability of the electoral process.