(From Left) Immaculate of IEBC, Chairman IEBC Hassan and Ambassador Odembo Celebrate Jamhuri day in Boston.

In a discussion with Attorney Njoroge Kamau of Worcester Massachusetts on the view by Independent Elections and Boundaries Commission IEBC it was noted that the process can be simplified and the following remarks put forward. “The IEBC should not try to showcase the process for Kenyans abroad is so complicated but should look for ways to ensure rights of Kenyans are granted as provided by the constitution. The IEBC should not reference a system as bad if they do not understand it very well. ” Immaculate, reference of Florida to show mail-in was not fully founded. Indeed many states in the U.S use mail in for elections even for people who do not want to go to the polls and not just for citizens abroad. To avoid the $20 per person budget which would mean if 3 million voters would cost the tax payers $60 million or more than Kshs 5 billion. However there are systems the IEBC can use without asking the proce of food to be taxed more so Kenyans abroad can vote and give each person the right to vote.

Note in stating this four Systems approach the main goal is to give a person the right to vote, at the lowest cost possible to taxpayer but at the highest possible integrity of the system so Kenyans lives are not subjected to a repeat of a weak system.   
 
System one
The first step of the Independent Elections and Boundaries Commission have to establish is who is a Kenya living abroad and how can be have a clear record of Kenyans living abroad. This can be established by getting a complete list of all persons issued Kenya Passports. Every Kenyan born in Kenya who has left Kenya legally to another country has to have gone through a port and was issued a passport. Some will say this data will off-course have Kenyans who are in Kenya and have being issued with passports. Yes this will show that. However the reason for establishing this data is for registration purposes where the IEBC would match any request of a mail-in ballot to this list that would be an audit provided by the government arm that issues passports. The only document that should allow someone to vote is a passport when abroad by fact that this is the only way to go abroad legally. However, in East Africa region where special conditions exist then the people who can cross to another country through Identification card can be considered separately.   

System Two
Once IEBC has list of every Kenya issued with a passport then the IEBC would ask all persons interested to vote for the general election to fill a registration form either done through IEBC website as an electronic registration or sending required documents to IEBC. With the form attach this two documents a copy of the passport either scanned of mailed and a copy of a utility bill scanned or mailed of a bill showing address. The registration would further have a telephone number so a random audit can be done that persons received ballot.  

System Three
The IEBC once they receive the documents would match this to passport obtained from those issuing passports. If there is a perfect match then the person would have a mail-in ballot created. The period to request for ballots can be clearing stated say 45 days before elections such that once nominations submitted all mail in ballots can be printed based on the number requested and mailed. 

System Four  
The IEBC inside the envelope would send instructions of voting and filling the ballot that a voter should read carefully, the ballot to be filled and the response envelope to be used. The posting envelope can have a special seal and be a paid stamp to a central region created in the country by the IEBC official involved in set-up of System. Once the deadline date of receipt is stated then the box is sealed and sent to IEBC offices in Nairobi and stored as mail-in votes until the election day. The box should arrive at least 7 days before election.

Using this system the IEBC can reduce the cost and give everyone no matter the location a chance to decide and register if they want to vote. Indeed the Embassy can visit different areas and help people renew their passports so as to register to vote.