United States election forensics expert Walter Mebane. PHOTO/COURTESY
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US electoral expert claims analyses show fraud in Kenya’s August 8 polls
By OUR CORRESPONDENT
newsdesk@reporter.co.ke
A United States expert in election forensics has exposed what he describes as large-scale fraud in the Kenya’s August 8th presidential elections.
University of Michigan Political Scientist Walter Mebane says that two statistical models he used to carry out a detailed analysis of the just concluded election revealed that there was massive rigging.
According to Mwakilishi, the political scientist said that he detected that 548,352 votes were fraudulently added to the advantage President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Professor Mebane further added that there were possible indicators that electoral fraud was present at polling stations across the country.
The professor saud that his analysis only assessed electronic vote tallies and not paper ballots.
“There was no sign of manipulation in voter turnout numbers but the vote counts look anomalous on every basis we use,” the Professor stated.
He, however, exuded confidence with the ability of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to successfully conduct a repeat election within 60 days.
Prof Mebane developed an “election forensics toolkit” that applies diagnostic tools to voting data.
He has applied these statistical methodologies to analyse elections in a dozen countries, including the 2013 presidential contest in Kenya.
On Friday, the Kenya’s Supreme Court nullified President Kenyatta’s re-election and presidential poll in 60 days.
The court ruled that IEBC did not conduct free and fair elections but cleared President Uhuru Kenyatta of any malpractice.
