Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati has issued conditions to the media and political parties after the commission allowed them to have parallel tallying centers to that of the IEBC.
Speaking on Saturday, June 25 from Diani, Kwale County after the commission's workshop with editors, Chebukati said all presidential candidates, political parties and media houses who will wish to tally their own results will be allowed.
The commission's chair said this will help largely the media for purposes of reporting. He, however, issued a tough condition saying nobody will be allowed to announce the results or declare the winners.
Chebukati maintained that it is only IEBC that has the power to announce final results for all elective seats.
"All media houses, political parties, and presidential candidates are free to set up their parallel tallying centers. They will be comparing their results with those from the national tallying center but the final announcement and declaration will come from the IEBC," he satted.
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He, however, allowed the media to report results that have been announced by the Presiding Officer at the polling station and those announced by Constituency Returning Officer, adding that it is IEBC again which will declare the final results.
Chebukati added that IEBC's two-day meeting with the media is to strengthen media participation in electoral matters, especially on Elections Results Management for August polls. The chair urged the media to maintain polls integrity and to avoid the distribution of unverified results.
"Media is expected to ensure they maintain the secrecy of the vote during the prescribed hours of polling by avoiding publishing or distributing any results, which they may have obtained from the unauthorized source until the results are officially announced by IEBC," added the chair
