Disappearances & Torture in Anti‑Terror Operations (2015–2016)

In its preliminary statement released on 10 August 2017, The Carter Center praised Kenyans for their remarkable composure and civic commitment during the Aug. 8 general election. Despite long queues, voters remained patient and participated in a largely calm and peaceful atmosphere across the country. The Carter Center+2Election Standards+2 The mission, which observed both the presidential race and national- and county-level contests, noted that the polling and counting process worked smoothly at most polling stations.
However, the Center raised red flags over the electronic transmission of results. While Kenya’s IEBC attempted to transmit polling-station results using its KIEMS system, the process proved unreliable. The Carter Center As a fallback, election officials reverted to paper forms (Form 34A) to tabulate votes manually — a more verifiable method, but one that slowed the process. Election Standards Furthermore, when early tallies were posted online, they were not clearly labeled as unofficial, sparking public confusion. The Carter Center The Carter Center called on the IEBC to make scanned copies of the polling-station result forms publicly available so that parties and observers could independently cross-check them.
On the legal and political front, the report acknowledged Kenya’s strong constitutional framework and praised the peaceful campaign environment. Election Standards Still, it highlighted shortcomings: overlapping jurisdiction in election dispute mechanisms, unclear campaign finance rules, and weak enforcement of Kenya’s two-thirds gender rule. The Carter Center The Center urged all candidates and parties to channel any disagreements through legal channels rather than inflame tensions, underscoring that patience and restraint were vital during the ongoing tally.
Looking ahead, the Carter Center pledged to stay in Kenya for several more weeks to monitor the final stages of tallying, as well as any post-election unrest or petitions. The Carter Center It emphasized that trust in the electoral process hinges on transparency — especially regarding the publication of tallied results — and called on the IEBC to uphold full public access and clear labeling of documents to bolster credibility. Election Standards