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{
    "id": 716397,
    "url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/716397/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 229,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Commission shall for purposes of sub-section One develop a policy on the progressive use of technology in the electoral process. So, sub-section (2) recognizes that we are not there yet. We would like to have a totally integrated electronic system but we are not there yet. It is work in progress. Mr. Speaker, Sir, a section that nobody seems to be referring to in this law is section 44(7) (a) which says that the technology use for purposes of the first general election upon commencement of this section shall be restricted to the process of voter registration, identification of voter and results transmission. Those are the only three things that we are expected to deal with in this coming election; registration, identification and transmission. If we were to go by section 44 only, you will note that section 44 has in place only technology voting. There is no window for voting other than using that registration, using that identification and using that transmission. When we were in the public participation, we listened to 54 people who gave their submissions before us. The only person in the whole list of people who came before us was a gentleman whose name I cannot remember now but he was the Chairman of the Computer Society of Kenya. He is the only person who purported to say that in the aeroplane industry, there is a technology called SITA which does not fail. Those are the words he used; that SITA cannot fail and it has never failed. When he was put to task by the bipartisan Committee that sat here, he was not able to explain to us how the Malaysian Aircraft disappeared and has never been traced to date, how accidents happen in the air or how it can happen that there can be lack of communication from the air controller to an aeroplane. SITA may not fail but can the communication between point (a) and point (b) fail? He was the only person who maintained that technology cannot fail. Everybody else who came before us took the view that technology does fail. Mr. Speaker, Sir, Sen. Orengo, a gentleman for whom I have the greatest respect, started his submissions by using these words and I quote; “We must embrace technology”. I agree with him 100 per cent that we must embrace technology. That is the reason why there is section 44 (1) and (2) which talks about progressive embracing of technology so that not in the first generation election after the passing of this law but sometimes in the future, we shall be able to have a full electronic voting. Sen. Orengo did agree – and like I said, I am clear in my mind because he was the last person to give evidence. He said planes are safe most of the times. It is that small gap of the failing that we must take care of, take into account and consider when we are discussing a serious issue called elections in this nation. Mr. Speaker, Sir, let us not tell Kenyans that there is a possibility of having chaos, riots and everything because of technology. Where we have had chaos in the past was not in the failure of the system, it was in the integrity of the voting system. There lies the issue which we must distinguish. We are trying to attain the integrity of a voting system that is acceptable to everybody. That takes us to section 44 (a) as proposed to be amended. Section 44 (a) is clear in its wording. I like myself because I am entitled to my view like everybody is entitled to their view and I have said it at the committee and I will say it here again. I like the word “complementary” very much in section 44 (a). The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate"
}