File image of Justin Muturi
Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has threatened to call for nationwide protests if the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) continues its engagement with Smartmatic.
In a post on Saturday, Muturi claimed that the continued use of Smartmatic threatens the integrity of elections and risks weakening public trust in the country’s democratic process.
“The continued engagement of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission with Smartmatic International Technologies for election technology is unacceptable.
“This is a serious threat to the integrity of our electoral process and risks undermining public confidence in our democracy,” he claimed.
The former CS said that the united opposition would call for nationwide protests from April if IEBC does not drop its deal with Smartmatic.
“I am warning clearly: if the IEBC does not immediately address these concerns and provide a clear plan for an alternative and transparent electoral system, Kenyans will take to the streets in nationwide protest beginning in April,” he added.
Muturi questioned why IEBC is still using Smartmatic despite growing public scrutiny and global concerns over the company in over 15 countries.
“The IEBC must act decisively to ensure a credible, transparent, and verifiable voting process. Anything less is unacceptable. The people of Kenya will defend the integrity of their vote,” Muturi asserted.
Smartmatic provided key systems used during the 2022 Kenyan general election, such as results transmission and management tools.
This comes weeks after Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka also called on IEBC to revoke its deal with the technology company.
The London-headquartered election technology firm has been at the centre of high-profile election disputes in several countries.
