Ugandans, Tanzanians feign shock at free Kenyan polls

Kenya's neighbours Uganda and Tanzania are known to restrict or shut down the internet, especially social media, during elections.

With that in mind, Kenya's neighbours in Uganda and Tanzania are using Twitter to express shock that Kenya is very public with election information.

In fact, their comments are criticisms of internet shutdowns in other African countries.

They expressed shock that Kenya allows reporters in polling stations.

It also gives media and the world access to constituency result forms, which are final.

Kenyans on Twitter are being entertained by neighbouring countries tweeting about Kenya's general election and coverage.

Tanzanians and Ugandans note the mainstream media are transmitting their provisional results live on TV as Kenyans follow. 

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission had made public the forms portal to allow Kenya and the world at large to access the Forms 34A as they are uploaded by the presiding officers.

In 2017, the Supreme Court ruled that IEBC should make public Forms 34A. 

Kenyans are accessing the forms and doing their calculations. Only the IEBC will announce the final results but the system and tallies are monitored.

Ugandans and Tanzanians feign shock and awe at the public display of results before the final government announcement.

A Tanzanian named Ole Mtetezi made fun of how journalists are allowed to access polling stations to report developing stories. 

"Kenya Waandishi Wa Habari Wanaruhusiwa Kuingia Kwenye Polling Station Na Kuonyesha Live Kinachoendelea?"

This loosely translates as "In Kenya, journalists are allowed to access polling stations and report live on location?" 

"Kwaiyo Kenya Na Matokeo Mnayaona Kwenye TV Live Kadri Yanavyoingia?" 

Another user expressed respect for the Kenyan system because of the IEBC portal that makes Forms 34A public. 

"Matokeo yameanikwa wazi kwenye mtandao. Kila mkenya na mtu yeyote ulimwenguni akiwa popote anaweza kujumuisha kivyake akajua nani aliyeshinda uchaguzi . Bora uwe na calculator tu. Auuuuuwiii Wakenya jameni tumewaheshimu."

(This loosely translates as,"Results have been displayed on a portal, every Kenyan and the world can do their calculations on their own and know the results, as long as they have a calculator. We respect you, Kenyans.")

In Uganda, Twitter users were surprised that Kenyans had access to the internet and social media during the election period. 

Not a few African leaders block internet access during election periods.

"I am shocked to see Kenyans active on Twitter during the election period. Why do they have their internet?" a Ugandan joked.  

Some Kenyan media houses have set up tallying centres and uploaded the results to their websites as they receive the forms from the IEBC portal. 

Reporters see the forms 34A posted at polling stations, photograph them and compare them with the forms on the IEBC portal.

Media houses are doing what they can on their own, each posting information as soon as they get it. There might even be an element of competition in their coverage.

Kenya has 46,229 polling stations, and so far 46,112 Forms 34A have been received, which equates to 99.75 per cent.

IEBC is yet to start declaring results. Only the IEBC can declare official results, notably for the president.

(Edited by V. Graham)