Constant power outages have paralyzed business operations in Marsabit town for the last four days, and electoral officials are now concerned that the August 9 elections will be affected as well.
Power outages could jeopardize the credibility of the elections, according to Joseph Mukewa, the county returning officer for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
“We fear that the unreliable operations and power supply of the power utility could potentially result in an interruption in the upcoming August 9 polls,” Mr Mukewa said.
He claimed he was keeping Kenya Power officers in the county on their toes.
Mr Mukewa was concerned that blackouts and delays in transmitting voting data would undermine voter credibility.
Because there was no electricity, IEBC officers in the county were unable to charge their BVR kits in time for the August 9 elections.
Despite having purchased enough power banks for emergencies, the agency still heavily relies on Kenya Power.
Meanwhile, the IEBC has put adequate measures in place to ensure that there is an internet connection so that election results can be transmitted from remote corners of the vast border county.
Standby helicopters have also been hired to help with the transport of ballot papers.
Marsabit County has 448 polling places, each with its own presiding officer and deputy. Additionally, there are six polling clerks per station and one queuing clerk per polling center.
The county has 169,912 registered voters.
Mr Mukewa assured voters that the elections would be fair and transparent. He also stated that security had been increased.
