- Title: No signs of manipulation of Kenya vote - EU observers
- Date: 10th August 2017
- Summary: NAIROBI, KENYA (AUGUST 10, 2017) (REUTERS) EUROPEAN UNION ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION OFFICIALS ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE HEAD OF THE EUROPEAN UNION'S ELECTION OBSERVER MISSION IN KENYA MARIETJE SCHAAKE SEATED SCHAAKE ADDRESSING NEWS CONFERENCE CAMERAMAN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (English) HEAD OF THE EUROPEAN UNION'S ELECTION OBSERVER MISSION IN KENYA, MARIETJE SCHAAKE, SAYING: "Generally, mistrust of the other is an ongoing challenge in Kenya. Some had high hopes that new technologies used in these elections could remove concerns. And while technology can be no substitute for trust, the well-functioning and security of available systems is pre-requisite for confidence." WOMAN TAKING PICTURE ON HER MOBILE PHONE NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) HEAD OF THE EUROPEAN UNION'S ELECTION OBSERVER MISSION IN KENYA, MARIETJE SCHAAKE, SAYING: "Voting was consistently well assessed by the EU election observation mission observers in Jubilee (ruling party) and NASA (opposition alliance) strongholds as well as in swing constituencies with no signs of centralised or localised manipulation." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS MAN ASKING QUESTION SCHAAKE SEATED AT TABLE, GETTING READY FOR INTERVIEW (SOUNDBITE) (English) HEAD OF THE EUROPEAN UNION'S ELECTION OBSERVER MISSION IN KENYA, MARIETJE SCHAAKE, SAYING: "So we've heard serious allegations that there had been hacking of the electoral systems and I think that these serious allegations must be seriously looked into. But we as an independent and impartial election observation mission are not investigators. We do not have the mandate or the access to investigate what exactly happened. But, if this case is brought to the IEBC (Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission) to look at or potentially to the authorities here in Kenya, our role would be to see how those complaints are looked into by the competent authorities, whether the rule of law is respected and how that process goes on." SIGN READING (English): "ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION KENYA 2017"
- Embargoed: 24th August 2017 11:59
- Keywords: EU observers in Kenya Marietje Schaake election in Kenya manipulation in Kenya election
- Location: NAIROBI, KENYA
- City: NAIROBI, KENYA
- Country: Kenya
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA0016TKPFT3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The head of the European Union's election observer mission in Kenya said on Thursday (August 10) it had seen no signs of "centralised or localised manipulation" of the voting process.
Marietje Schaake said that the EU mission's final report would evaluate the conduct of the tallying process, which opposition leader Raila Odinga said had been compromised by hackers.
Kenya's election commission (IEBC) dismissed claims on Wednesday (August 9) by Odinga that its systems and website had been hacked to produce a "fictitious" lead for Odinga's long-time rival President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Schaake praised the IEBC for conducting a thorough and transparent electoral process and said she could not comment on any hacking allegations, as it was not within the remit of the electoral monitor's mission and Kenya needed to thoroughly investigate any allegations.
Provisional results released by the election commission showed Kenyatta had won 54.3 percent of votes, ahead of Odinga on 44.8 percent -- a lead of 1.4 million votes with 97 percent of polling stations reported. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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