Today Tuesday, the Senate adopted the use of both electronic and manual modes of transmitting election results, following the public protests over attempts to drop electronic transmission in the ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act.
The decision was taken during the emergency plenary on the subject as a result of public outcry and protest, the lawmakers however considered recommendations aimed at addressing concerns raised by the public.
It was gathered that the senate modified Clause 60 to require the presiding officer at each polling unit to electronically transmit election results to the IREV portal. However, if electronic transmission fails due to communication/network issues, the manual result sheet (Form EC8A) would become the primary source for result collation.
The move comes after sustained protests at the National Assembly, with demonstrators insisting that electronic transmission of results is critical to curbing electoral fraud and restoring public confidence in the electoral process.