WHY BLIND WILL NOT USE BRAILLE BALLOT PAPERS ON ELECTION DAY

Clive Ayuko

Nairobi, Kenya 6th August 2022

“..Registered Kenyan voters who suffer from severe blindness will be assisted to vote by persons chosen by them to cast their ballot and will not use braille type ballot papers. The same issue was raised through the Disability Inclusion Coordinating Committee of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission IEBC which the National Council For Persons Living With Disabilities NCPLWD is part of but the commission declined noting that having braille type ballot papers for blind votes considering the relatively few numbers will put the voters at risk during the counting of votes. Adding that they would be identified as having voted in a certain way. This would put them at risk ” said Isaac Manyonge Programme Officer National Council for Persons Living with Disabilities NCPLWD.

He was speaking at the National Council for Persons Living with Disabilities NCPWD headquarters along Waiyaki Way in Westlands Nairobi during a press conference unveiling a memorandum of Understanding signed with Not-for-Profit Technology company USHAHIDI, an organization whose focus is to ensure the voices the under-represented and marginalized communities to include persons living with various disabilities are heard. Through the provision of real time information information the organization will enable marginalized groups make informed choice and voice the opinion in various issues affecting them.

Speaking during the unveiling Executive Director for the National Council for Persons Living with Disabilities Mr Harun Hassan said; “As a State agency mandated to promote the inclusion rights of Persons Living with Disabilities and noting the trouble persons living with disabilities face as voters and as candidates the MOU signed with Ushahidi will be able to provide Persons living with disabilities with real-time information on issues around elections to include access to polling stations.

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