The contentious Elections Laws (Amendment) Bill 2016 that allows for a manual back up of the electronic voting system ahead of the 2017 general elections has now been signed into law following president Uhuru’s assent yesterday.

The new Act introduces a wide range of electoral reforms including a new framework for the recruitment of IEBC commissioners. It also outlines a procedure for the exit of the current office holders.

Jubilee legislators both in the national assembly and the senate outnumbered their Cord counterparts to pass the Bill, without any amendments. Cord has been opposed to the manual back up system saying that it will open a window for rigging the elections.

The opposition had threatened to call for a mass cation if the law was became effective.

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