To the frustration of the public, national media outlets also unexpectedly halted their tallies at the height of the count on Thursday, without explanation. Some public groups lacked the resources and manpower to sift through the data, and conflicting national media tallies caused some initial public confusion as different outlets worked their way through the data. Experts say the move bolstered the body’s public image.īut the parallel counts faced some challenges. National media, political parties and the public ran independent vote counts based on data made publicly available by the electoral commission. Reports show that public faith in the electoral body is at a meagre 26%. In 2017, the Kenyan supreme court ordered a repeat poll due to “widespread discrepancies” and in 2007, a disputed outcome led to a deadly post-election violence. The country’s elections have been contested in its last three cycles. “It’s important for both political sides to follow legal mechanisms if there are any concerns, without whipping up public emotions or indicating to the public that they should reject the result, because that amounts to public incitement,” said Javas Bigambo, a governance expert. Unverified claims of rigging have begun to surface.

Election watchers say that the drawn-out count is fuelling public anxiety and misinformation. The electoral commission has until 16 August to announce the results, but was expected to announce a winner within the week. “If we do that, then we shall not be able to finish this exercise.” “Please don’t interrogate the returning officers and slow down the process,” the electoral body’s chair, Wafula Chebukati, said during a press briefing.

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