In line with our mission to promote permanent civic vigilance on key governance issues, the Africa Centre for Open Governance (AfriCOG) is pleased to present the following report on pending issues related to the March 2013 general election in Kenya.
In April 2014, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) released what it called its “final” results from the March 2013 general elections. This report was the third such published since the election.
Sadly, despite the IEBC’s assurance that the report would provide an analysis of the “counting and tabulation to better understand the participation of the electorate,” AfriCOG’s review finds several worrying gaps in the information contained in this latest release of results. In fact, the report contains less detailed information than the previous ones.
It is essential that the IEBC addresses the issues raised in the following analysis. Specifically, AfriCOG recommends that the IEBC release the data that is currently missing from the public record as soon as possible, along with an explanation as to why the results have been incomplete for well over a year since the election.
Kenyans have a right to a full record of election results, and a comprehensive record of the results is critical if the IEBC wishes to maintain public confidence and promote transparency and accountability. This data is also vital for purposes of self-reflection, for it can shed light on important trends and patterns in candidate and voter behaviour over time.
It is our hope that the Kenyan public will take up the call to demand a full and detailed account of the election results and to work for greater electoral integrity in the future.