{"id":139882,"date":"2026-05-05T07:02:47","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T07:02:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/iebc-commissioner-nderitu-defends-ballot-secrecy-warns-against-sharing-marked-votes\/"},"modified":"2026-05-05T07:02:47","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T07:02:47","slug":"iebc-commissioner-nderitu-defends-ballot-secrecy-warns-against-sharing-marked-votes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/iebc-commissioner-nderitu-defends-ballot-secrecy-warns-against-sharing-marked-votes\/","title":{"rendered":"IEBC Commissioner Nderitu Defends Ballot Secrecy, Warns Against Sharing Marked Votes"},"content":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya May 5-The \u00a0Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission\u2019s (IEBC) has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the secrecy of the ballot, firmly defending a proposed ban on photographing marked ballot papers during elections.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Speaking during the Capital in the Morning<\/em> show, IEBC commissioner Anne Nderitu emphasized that protecting the integrity of the electoral process outweighs individual preferences to share voting choices on social media.<\/p>\n

She argued that allowing voters to take and post images of their ballots risks undermining both the law and public confidence in elections. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe Constitution is clear that voting is by secret ballot,\u201d she said. \u201cOnce you take a picture of your marked ballot and share it publicly, you compromise that secrecy and potentially influence other voters.\u201d<\/p>\n

The commissioner acknowledged the ongoing debate around personal freedom versus electoral law, particularly in a digital age where sharing personal experiences online is common.<\/p>\n

However, she maintained that the IEBC\u2019s primary duty is to ensure a credible, neutral, and fair election process.<\/p>\n

According to Nderitu, posting marked ballots could amount to indirect campaigning on election day, an electoral offense under Kenyan law.<\/p>\n

She noted that such actions may sway undecided voters by creating a perception of popularity around certain candidates.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf many people post how they voted, it becomes a form of campaigning,\u201d she explained. \u201cThat is exactly what the law seeks to prevent on election day.\u201d<\/p>\n

To enforce the rule, the IEBC is considering administrative measures, including restricting the use of mobile phones inside voting booths.<\/p>\n

Voters may be required to temporarily surrender their devices before entering, similar to practices in other countries.<\/p>\n

Nderitu cited international examples, noting that some democracies already enforce strict controls on electronic devices within polling stations to preserve ballot secrecy.<\/p>\n

Beyond the ballot secrecy debate, Nderitu assured Kenyans that the commission is on track in its preparations for the next general election. She highlighted voter registration as a key pillar of readiness.<\/p>\n

The IEBC had set a target of registering 6.3 million new voters ahead of the 2027 polls. During the recently concluded month-long Enhanced Continuous Voter Registration (ECVR) exercise, the commission registered approximately 2.345 million voters\u2014about 85 percent of its 2.5 million target.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not a bad score, but we can do better,\u201d she said, urging unregistered Kenyans to visit constituency offices or Huduma Centres to enroll.<\/p>\n

Rebuilding public trust<\/h2>\n

Addressing concerns about public confidence in the commission, Nderitu pointed to increased voter turnout during registration as a sign of growing trust.<\/p>\n

\u201cA key indicator of confidence is participation,\u201d she noted. \u201cKenyans are coming out to register, and that shows belief in the process.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added that cleaning up the voter register, often criticized for containing deceased voter, will be completed within legally mandated timelines ahead of the election, using system-based audits.<\/p>\n

On election technology, Nderitu expressed confidence in the IEBC\u2019s ability to transmit results efficiently, building on systems used in previous elections since 2013.<\/p>\n

\u201cResults originate from polling stations. What we do is transmit and collate them. We will only improve what already exists,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Nderitu urged Kenyans to respect electoral laws and play their part in ensuring free and fair elections.<\/p>\n

\u201cElections are not just about institutions; they are about citizens too,\u201d she said. \u201cWe must all uphold the law and protect the integrity of the process.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her remarks come amid heightened public discourse on electoral transparency, digital freedoms, and the evolving role of social media in democratic processes.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya May 5-The \u00a0Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission\u2019s (IEBC) has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the secrecy of the ballot, firmly defending a proposed ban on photographing marked ballot papers during elections. Speaking during the Capital in the Morning show, IEBC commissioner Anne Nderitu emphasized that protecting the integrity of the electoral process outweighs […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-139882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139882","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=139882"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139882\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139882"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=139882"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139882"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}