First it was technical election stealing allegations that led to lots of chaos in the country.Now it seems malicious practices behind technology have just began in Kenya as a new revolution has just risen against the use biometrics.
The Northern frontier counties leadership has alleged the government is planning to manipulate the upcoming census by using the biometric system.
Under the Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC) and Pastoralists Parliamentary Group Leadership, the leaders opposed the use of the biometric system in the upcoming census.
FCDC brings together Garissa, Isiolo, Lamu, Mandera, Marsabit, Tana River, and Wajir counties.
Mandera Governor Ali Roba, who is also FCDC chairperson, questioned the move by the government to use the biometric system in the census, which will be critical on how resources will be distributed.
“The biometric system raised many questions during the last election. Therefore, its credibility is in question,” he said.
Roba said they are not opposed to the census, but demanded a transparent exercise and the inclusion of international observers to ensure a credible census, slated for August.
His sentiments were echoed by Wajir East MP Rashid Kassim, who alleged the government has set up a scheme to manipulate the numbers from the region for its political and economic agenda.
“We want a scientific formula accepted globally to be used to capture every person in the area. We have numbers,” he said.
Mandera North MP Bashir Abdullahi claimed the 2009 census did not record the region’s true population while Isiolo Woman Representative Rehema Dida said the region had increased its numbers since 2009.
At the same time, the leaders accused the State of scheming to continue marginalising the region.
According to Roba, failure to release the Equalisation Fund and the new discriminatory revenue allocation policy was part of the larger scheme.
He said since the promulgation of the Constitution, no Equalisation funds have been released and warned that if the National Treasury does not urgently disburse the funds, they will proceed to court for judicial redress.
Do you prefer the biometric system or the scientific formula?