Mirage at Dusk

KENYA NATIONAL COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS MIRAGE AT DUSK: A HUMAN RIGHTS ACCOUNT OF THE 2017 GENERAL ELECTION PRELIMINARY REPORT 1 | Page Contents Dedication ............................................................................................................................................... 5 Preface .................................................................................................................................................... 6 Acknowledgement .................................................................................................................................. 9 Acronyms and Abbreviations ................................................................................................................ 10 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................... 12 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 18 1.1 Contextual Background ............................................................................................................... 18 1.2 KNCHR Project Objectives ........................................................................................................... 27 1.3 Methodology ............................................................................................................................... 27 CHAPTER 2: NORMATIVE FRAMEWORK ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND ELECTIONS ................................... 29 2.1. NATIONAL FRAMEWORK............................................................................................................ 29 2.2. LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK ........................................................................................................ 31 2.2.1 The Elections Act, 2011 ........................................................................................................ 31 2.2.2 The Political Parties Act 2011 ........................................................................................ 32 2.2.3 The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Act, 2011 .................. 32 2.2.4 The Elections Offences Act, 2016 .................................................................................. 32 2.3 KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2016 AMENDMENTS ON THE ELECTORAL LAWS ................................ 33 2.4. INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS ......................................................................... 42 2.5. JURISPRUDENCE ON ELECTIONS FROM THE COURTS ................................................................ 44 2.5.1. Diaspora Vote ...................................................................................................................... 44 2.5.2. Declaration of Results ......................................................................................................... 45 2.5.3. Prisoners Right to Vote ....................................................................................................... 46 2.5.4. Jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal in election matters ...................................................... 47 2.5.6. Timelines for Filing of Appeals ............................................................................................ 47 2.5.7. Irregularities arising from Human Errors ............................................................................ 48 2.5.8. Counting, Tallying and Announcement of Final Results ..................................................... 48 2.5.9. Public Participation in Procurement ................................................................................... 4 9 2.5.10. Use of Technology ............................................................................................................. 49 CHAPTER 3: POLITICAL PARTIES PRIMARIES AND CAMPAIGNS ............................................................ 51 Political Campaigns ........................................................................................................................... 51 3.1 Electoral Violence ....................................................................................................................... 51 3.1.1 Layers of Electoral Violence ................................................................................................. 54 3.2 The Right to Fair Electoral Campaign Opportunities and Practices. ........................................... 64 2 | Page 3.2.1 Misuse of Public Resources .................................................................................................. 64 3.2.2 Appropriateness and Accessibility of Venues. ..................................................................... 70 3.3 Incitement ................................................................................................................................... 71 3.4 Voter Bribery ............................................................................................................................... 77 3.5 Right to Security during Elections ............................................................................................... 85 3.6. Internally Displaced Persons ...................................................................................................... 86 3.6.1 Movement of Persons .......................................................................................................... 88 3.7 Impact of Terror‐Threat on the General Election ....................................................................... 90 3.8. Inter‐Ethnic Tensions ................................................................................................................. 90 3.9 Peace Forums and Promotion of Electoral Security ................................................................... 91 3.9.1 The Right to Assembly and Peaceful Demonstrations ......................................................... 92 3.9.2 Special Interest Groups (SIGs). ............................................................................................. 94 CHAPTER 4: THE GENERAL ELECTION POLLING DAY FINDINGS .......................................................... 110 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 110 4.1 Security on Polling Day .............................................................................................................. 111 4.2 Electoral Environment .............................................................................................................. 112 4.2.1 Campaigns in and around the Polling Centres ................................................................... 113 4.2.2 Interference at Polling Centres .......................................................................................... 117 4.2.3 Bribery and Inducement .................................................................................................... 120 4.2.4 Ferrying of Voters .............................................................................................................. 122 4.2.5 Restive crowds and Long Queues ...................................................................................... 122 4.3 Polling, Counting and Results Transmission Process ................................................................ 129 4.3.1 Commencement of Voting ................................................................................................. 1 2 9 4.3.2 The Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS)......................................... 132 4.4. Close of Polling: ........................................................................................................................ 142 4.5 Counting, Collating and Tallying Process .................................................................................. 147 4.5.1 Tabulation, Announcement and Signing off the Final Results ........................................... 151 4.5.2 Issuance and Displaying the Final Results at Polling Stations ............................................ 152 4.5.3 Transmission of Results ...................................................................................................... 153 4.5.4 Transportation of the Electoral Materials ......................................................................... 155 4.6 Prisoners Right to Political Participation ............................................................................... 1 5 5 4.6.1 Registration of Prisoners .................................................................................................... 158 4.6.2 Monitoring the Polling Process in Prisons ......................................................................... 161 4.6.3 Issues arising out of Prisons Polling Stations ..................................................................... 167 3 | Page CHAPTER 5: POST‐ELECTION FINDINGS .............................................................................................. 172 5.1 Strategy and Methodology ....................................................................................................... 173 5.2 Right to Life ............................................................................................................................... 174 5.3 Freedom from Torture, Degrading, Cruel and Inhuman Treatment ......................................... 187 5.3 Disruption of Access to Essential Goods

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