‘Fake voters’ come to life on SMS voter verification platform
The integrity of the August general election has been put to question after hawk-eyed Kenyans discovered major errors with the newly launched SMS voter verification platform.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had announced the launch of a verification mobile platform and, within two hours after the launch, the feedback was that the reverse messages had errors.
One is required to send their national identity card number to short code 70000. The sender then receives a message showing the name of the voter, county, polling station code and ward.
BAFFLING
What is baffling, though, is the fact that random numbers drew details of registered voters.
For instance, ID number 0 is registered under Stanley Gitari Mucira at Rwambati Primary school in Baragwi ward, Kirinyaga County.
ID number 66 gives the name Kj Mj Fd registered as a voter in Olmapinu Primary school in Rombo ward, Kajiado county.
ODM director of elections Junet Mohammed alleged that this shows there are still fake voters in the IEBC register.
It is shocking, but not entirely unexpected, that there are still fake voters in the @IEBCKenya. Recipe for chaos. #IEBCFakeVoterRegister
— Hon. Junet Mohamed (@JunetMohamed) June 29, 2017
But Andrew Limo, IEBC Communications and Public Affairs Manager told Nairobi News that the commission’s IT department was working on the platform.
“We are looking at it, I have sent the information to IT and they are looking at it,” he said.
Asked if the platform had been tested before being announced to the public, he said it was tested internally but the feedback from the public will be useful to improve it.
DON’T PANIC
“People should not panic, the other verification at polling stations worked well and even this one is going to work as we are working on it,” Mr Limo added.
Mr Limo said the commission will on Friday run a comprehensive statement clarifying everything about the new verification platform.
On Wednesday, IEBC announced it had deleted 88,602 dead voters from the register. Some 19,611,423 Kenyans are registered to vote in the general election.
Here are some of the reactions by online users;
Kenyans sending random ID numbers to IEBC voter confirmation service receive startling feedback. Who are these people in the register? pic.twitter.com/R62NT1bFFS
— James Smart (@jamessmat) June 29, 2017
When will this ghost voters be removed in IEBC register #IEBCFakeRegister pic.twitter.com/wiaTv7yGU1
— Michael Kimingichi™ (@m_kimingichi) June 29, 2017
This is a special one…another one by IEBC #IEBCFakeRegister pic.twitter.com/kBlSljtS78
— Denis Mailu (@DenisMailu) June 29, 2017
1 Is it a credible Voters Register?
2 What did KPMG do in the register?
3 Do these people exist?
4 Should IEBC ask KPMG redo the register pic.twitter.com/9eC512Ivn2— Jacques (@Kvaati) June 29, 2017
This ID NUMBER 0… IEBC WHAT'S HAPPENING pic.twitter.com/cw9InZ7BK2
— Kelvin Okelo (@kelvin_okelo) June 29, 2017