A Presiding Officer (PO) is a key election official in Kenya, responsible for overseeing all aspects of polling within a designated polling station. Their primary duty is to ensure that the voting process runs smoothly, fairly, and in accordance with electoral laws. The Presiding Officer reports to the Returning Officer and manages the Polling Clerks to facilitate an orderly election.
Responsibilities of a Presiding Officer
As the overall supervisor of a polling station, the Presiding Officer’s responsibilities include:
- Controlling admission into the polling station.
- Assisting voters who require special assistance (e.g., persons with disabilities, the elderly, or illiterate voters).
- Managing the flow of voters within the polling station.
- Supervising polling officials and ensuring they perform their duties efficiently.
- Safeguarding election materials to prevent tampering or loss.
- Administering the oath of secrecy to voter assistants.
- Briefing polling agents on their roles and responsibilities before polling begins.
- Providing updates on registered voter numbers and voter turnout at the polling station.
- Regularly updating the Returning Officer on voter turnout and any emergencies.
- Counting and tallying votes cast in the polling station.
- Announcing election results for the polling station.
- Signing official results declaration forms.
- Transmitting results electronically to the national and constituency tallying centers.
- Handing over official results to the Returning Officer at the constituency tallying center.
- Performing any additional duties as assigned by the Returning Officer.
Role of a Deputy Presiding Officer
A Deputy Presiding Officer (DPO) assists the Presiding Officer in executing polling station duties and ensures seamless election operations.
Key Responsibilities of a Deputy Presiding Officer:
- Acts as the deputy to the Presiding Officer.
- Performs tasks delegated by the Presiding Officer.
- Ensures the safe retrieval and handling of election materials.
Qualifications for Presiding Officers and Deputy Presiding Officers
To qualify for the role of Presiding Officer or Deputy Presiding Officer, candidates must meet the following criteria:
- Be a Kenyan citizen of high integrity and non-partisan.
- Hold a Degree or Diploma from a recognized institution.
- Be computer literate.
- Have effective communication skills.
- Possess good report-writing skills.
- Be capable of managing people, sensitive data, and election materials.
- Have data computation skills.
- Be available for the entire election period.
- Reside in the constituency and ward where they apply to work.
The role of a Presiding Officer is critical in upholding Kenya’s democratic process. Their competence, neutrality, and adherence to electoral guidelines ensure free, fair, and credible elections.
