Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party leader Raila Odinga has called for a devolved electoral system similar to the one in the United States.
Odinga argues that devolving the electoral commission would increase credibility and transparency as opposed to the current system that is centralized. He similarly proposes that political parties be allowed to second their members to be part of the electoral agency.
“There is always the question of centralization of election management. Do we need one electoral body to manage our elections or should elections management be devolved to the state regions or counties as in the case of the United States? Should parties be allowed to second their members to the election management bodies? My answer to these two questions is yes,” said Odinga.
Odinga, who spoke at the 14th edition of the Leadership Annual Conference and Awards in Abuja, Nigeria, this week, also raised concerns about the use of technology in elections.
“There is a need to rethink the use of technology. Either we adopt reliable election technology, including voting machines that generate a voter-verifiable audit trail, so voters can confirm that their choices are being recorded accurately, or we go fully manual,” said Odinga.
He faulted the Supreme Court ruling that the technology used in Kenya’s 2022 election met the constitutional standards of integrity, verifiability, security and transparency, saying it is unclear on what objective criteria the judges arrived at this conclusion.
“Existing electoral laws are not seen to assemble an election system that people believe is transparent, accountable and democratic. There is, therefore, a need for further reforms to make the voting process more accessible and reliably enhance protection against mistakes, irregularities, confusion and fraud,” he added.
Odinga warned that there is a high likelihood of voter apathy come 2027 if the issues surrounding the August 2022 general election are not fully addressed.
“Kenyans may lose all faith and decide to boycott future elections because they believe that their votes do not matter. Kenya has become a laboratory for bad election practices and others borrow in the continent,” he said.
Even though the apex court ruled that President Ruto was validly elected, Odinga, 78, has maintained that the last presidential election was rigged in favor of the former deputy president.
Since 1963,
Kenyans = Kikuyu…
Since 1963,
Kenyans = Kikuyu + Kalenjin + Foreign Diplomats
The rest of the tribes are just visitors.
Kalejinga Ruto has nothing…
Kalejinga Ruto has nothing to offer Kenyans.
Nonsense.A devolved…
Nonsense.A devolved electoral college would be an abortion of democracy. It would allow only a few (less populated) counties to decide the outcome of elections and naturally, those counties would be prone to being bought and tightly controlled by a handful of ultra powerful, wholly unaccountable interests.The idea of the majority rule would become a cheap sham.The current IEBC system is the best way to go because it’s less susceptible to $uch cor(rao)uption.
You seems not to understand…
You seems not to understand what Raila mean. He’s not talking about electoral college like the way US does. He means having electoral body in each county or region totally independent. In US each state manages its election from presidential all the way down. They don’t have wafula Chebukati who the nation wait to announce the winner.
Also l guess you understand how electoral college works in US.
He talked about a devolved…
He talked about a devolved electoral system,which simply means another of his ways to try and disenfranchise the election.A free and fair election should not be manipulated in anyone’s favor. Shows how much confidence authoritarian RAO has in 2027.
Ruto please give this mzee a…
Ruto please give this mzee a job like chief rat eradication officer. He will never shut his mouth otherwise. Apparently he has nothing better to do than talking nonsense full time.
Rumour has it that anabweka…
Rumour has it that anabweka after handshake talks failed to reach agreement
If Raila and his ODM party…
If Raila and his ODM party cannot hold a fair nomination process, it would be a much more travesty if local counties were to take absolute control of elections. With what Raila is proposing, elections will be over at nominations.
However much the civic, parliamentary and senate seats were all won and declared within county or constituency level, it’s good practice to have a centralized electoral management.
I’m yet to witness anyone of Raila fanatics who was declared winner by the IEBC resign to prove that the elections were rigged or not fair.
For Raila even if you make…
For Raila even if you make him the IEBC chairman of an election he is contesting ,or you have no election and give him the president’s seat on a silver platter,he will still cry there was rigging and will oppose his own win!. Huyu jamaa hata Sir God na Lucifer wameshindwa na kinachomfurahisha.Even in hell or heaven he will still oppose the authority there.The same will happen if even he becomes god himself or Lucifer! ???.
I agree with M Kitatu!
The…
I agree with M Kitatu!
The US system is a mess and does not deliver real democracy. Remember Al Gore & Bush? He missed out on being President because of a rigged election in Florida. A devolved system here would simply create multiple places for corruption. Please no!
I wrote a piece ago about…
I wrote a piece ago about the western world. There is no way in hell USA would allow a Russian protege to become a Kenyan president. It should have happened when his dad was in opposition.
Kenya plays a big role as in the pawn you can sacrifice.
RAO seems to be fixated on…
RAO seems to be fixated on anything American,especially politics. From claiming that he was related to Barack Obama to hiring Dick Morris,the former political advisor to Bill Clinton, for consultation,and making frequent trips to USA of which one landed him a gift of a Hammer,and afew checks-all spell self serving egotistical purposes.
I bet if Raila were young,he would be living in Washington DC .Any political system made by man is as good as the men operating it. First prerequisite for any successful system is that it must be operated by men of character.Men of integrity. Changing the political system will not remove corruption.Doing away with IEBC will not stop crooks from occupaying the state house,but men of intergity and resolute will,coupled with an electorate that demands it.
Rao alirogwa. How could him…
Rao alirogwa. How could him and his dad fail to be president since 1963?
A very bad idea given the…
A very bad idea given the havoc such a system has wreaked on the US. To make such a proposal in the face of so much evidence to the contrary makes me wonder if wisdom comes with age