Culled from The Independent


As unregistered voters voted IEC communication officer explains



Following scathing criticism on The Independent Electoral Commission for
allowing individuals whose names were not on the register list to vote
during last week's presidential elections, The Independent finally caught up
with IEC communication officer Said Yusuf who explained the rationale behind
what became a controversial decision.

Speaking in an exclusive interview recently, Yusuf stated that the decision
of the IEC to allow people whose names were not on the voter register list
to vote is because they realised that an error was made during the
compilation of the voter list on the register. "After the general
registration exercise in May this year, the IEC typist who typed the
information of the applicants could have possibly skipped names which were
put on the long list.

To accommodate that situation without punishing those people who has duly
registered for mistakes committed by the IEC, we decided to allow them to
vote provided that information on the voters card corresponds with that on
the counterfoil," Yussuf disclosed.

Yussuf described the counterfoil as the most authoritative document
containing more information about the applicant than the voters' card. Asked
about the authenticity of those voters cards presented, Mr. Yusuf noted that
the IEC allowed people whose names were not on the register list to vote
after they showed valid voters cards which corresponded with the counter
foil.

He noted that their decision to allow those people to vote does not emanate
from the IEC itself, which he said, placed great consideration on the
voter's interest. Yusuf however denied rumours that IEC officers issued
voters cards behind doors in the run up to the elections. "Our officers
never issued voters cards beyond the registration date," he claimed, adding
that they have an honest staff whose activities are well monitored.

The IEC communications officer however noted that the only time the
commission reissued voters cards was during the replacement exercise which
was accorded to people who lost or wanted to change from one constituency to
another. "Provided they paid the fees charged and pass the interview
conducted," He said. "Also previous cards were completely cancelled and
erased on the register list. This makes it impossible for anyone to be
issued with two voters' cards.





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