Opposition protests polling station layout
Feb 03, 2011
OPPOSITION parties subscribing to the Inter-Party Cooperation (IPC) have contested the Electoral Commission’s (EC) polling station layout issued ahead of the February 18 elections.
By JEFF LULE
OPPOSITION parties subscribing to the Inter-Party Cooperation (IPC) have contested the Electoral Commission’s (EC) polling station layout issued ahead of the February 18 elections.
The IPC claim the layout violates the amended presidential and parliamentary election acts.
Addressing the press at the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party headquarters in Najjanankumbi yesterday, Margaret Wokuri, the the cooperation communications director, said the amended 2010 presidential and parliamentary acts require agents of candidates at polling stations to sit at the same table with the presiding officer.
“The acts provide that agents of candidates at polling stations shall either sit at the same table with the presiding officer, or be positioned in such away that enables the agent to cross-check the names on the voters’ roll against the voter’s cards,†Wokuri said.
She said the amendment intended to ensure close observation of the actions of presiding officers by the candidates’ agents.
Wokuri said the amendment was a result of the finding by the Supreme Court in the 2006 judgment that there was “apparent partisan and partial conduct of some electoral officialsâ€.
Regarding the released polling station layout, she pointed out that the candidates’ agents are placed on a special desk far a way, where they can not cross-check names against the register.
Wokuri said even the observers, who are supposed to move around to monitor the station, have been designated an isolated desk.
Wokuri expressed fear that some electoral officials, such as presiding officers, might take advantage of this gap to engage in malpractices.
She said they have already written to EC about the matter, but have not received any reply.
“We are not against the arrangements, but we ask for some correction of the layout for purposes of transparency.
The EC has the power to make sure that the country does not end in crisis. As the opposition, our work is to advise where we think there is need.â€
OPPOSITION parties subscribing to the Inter-Party Cooperation (IPC) have contested the Electoral Commission’s (EC) polling station layout issued ahead of the February 18 elections.
The IPC claim the layout violates the amended presidential and parliamentary election acts.
Addressing the press at the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party headquarters in Najjanankumbi yesterday, Margaret Wokuri, the the cooperation communications director, said the amended 2010 presidential and parliamentary acts require agents of candidates at polling stations to sit at the same table with the presiding officer.
“The acts provide that agents of candidates at polling stations shall either sit at the same table with the presiding officer, or be positioned in such away that enables the agent to cross-check the names on the voters’ roll against the voter’s cards,†Wokuri said.
She said the amendment intended to ensure close observation of the actions of presiding officers by the candidates’ agents.
Wokuri said the amendment was a result of the finding by the Supreme Court in the 2006 judgment that there was “apparent partisan and partial conduct of some electoral officialsâ€.
Regarding the released polling station layout, she pointed out that the candidates’ agents are placed on a special desk far a way, where they can not cross-check names against the register.
Wokuri said even the observers, who are supposed to move around to monitor the station, have been designated an isolated desk.
Wokuri expressed fear that some electoral officials, such as presiding officers, might take advantage of this gap to engage in malpractices.
She said they have already written to EC about the matter, but have not received any reply.
“We are not against the arrangements, but we ask for some correction of the layout for purposes of transparency.
The EC has the power to make sure that the country does not end in crisis. As the opposition, our work is to advise where we think there is need.â€