The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has dismissed claims that the postponed elections in five electoral areas from August 9, 2022, led to voter suppression.
“The allegation of voter suppression due to postponement of these elections is not a question of hypothesis. It is a question of facts and numbers,” IEBC lawyer Mahat Somane told the Supreme Court.
Lawyer Somane told the court that Odinga’s allegations did not correlate with how the voters in the affected areas voted on Election Day.
Using comparative data, lawyer Somane explained that turnout in areas with postponed polls was higher than in the constituencies nearby for the parliamentary elections.
In Kitui Rural, for instance, the voter turnout was 60.29 percent, and lawyer Somane noted that the percentage was similar to the voter turnout in Kitui Central and Mwingi Central.
In his data, lawyer Somane said the Kacheliba and Pokot South elections posted a higher percentage compared to Kapenguria and Sigor constituencies which neighbor the two affected areas.
He added that the situation was similar in Rongai as the turnout was higher in the neighboring constituencies of Njoro and Naivasha.
The Court will render its verdict on September 5, 2022.
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