NAIROBI, Kenya – At least 200 Kenya Integrated Election Management System (KIEMS) kits used in voter identification and results transmission have gone missing, raising concerns over election security, an audit report has revealed.
The report, covering the period up to June 30, 2024, found that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) failed to recover the devices after the 2017 and 2022 general elections, as well as several by-elections.
While the commission officially reported only two lost kits, the audit shows that an additional 30 were destroyed in election-related violence in Wajir in 2022, and 159 others dispatched for by-elections were never returned.
Weak Internal Controls
Auditor General Nancy Gathungu questioned IEBC’s ability to track and secure the kits, saying the agency lacked effective internal controls.
“In the circumstances, the effectiveness of internal controls for KIEMS kits management could not be confirmed,” the report states.
IEBC admitted that it had no standard operating procedure for tracking the movement and storage of the kits.
Although a policy was under internal review, it could not be implemented due to the absence of commissioners to approve it.
The commission’s policy requires all KIEMS kits and accessories to be returned to a central warehouse on Likoni Road, Nairobi, for storage and maintenance after elections.
However, records indicate that this has not been strictly enforced.
The missing kits pose a security risk as they contain biometric voter data and software for results transmission.
Election observers have warned that such devices, if in the wrong hands, could be exploited to manipulate future polls.
The report also revealed that 3,400 KIEMS kits were found to be faulty, but their status had not been updated in IEBC’s asset register.
In Nyeri alone, 256 kits had yet to be accounted for by June 2023.
Between 2017 and 2022, IEBC procured 59,100 KIEMS kits, but only 55,286 remain, leaving nearly 4,000 unaccounted for.
Implications for 2027 Elections
The audit findings come at a critical time as Kenya prepares for the 2027 elections.
IEBC has already requested KSh 61.7 billion for the polls, yet it faces mounting scrutiny over its preparedness.
The disappearance of KIEMS kits is likely to fuel debates over the credibility of electronic voting.
During the 2022 elections, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga opposed the exclusive use of KIEMS kits for voter identification, arguing for manual verification.
A court later ruled in favor of manual voter registers after IEBC initially resisted their use.
With the commission currently undergoing leadership changes and fresh recruitment of commissioners underway, the audit report highlights the urgent need for stronger oversight and accountability in election management.
