[kictanet] Manual Backup and Elections 2017: Is the CS ICT Honest

Fri Dec 30 12:20:09 EAT 2016

Thanks Washington,
I listened to the CS and with all due respect and in Senator Omar's words,
the issues he raised were nothing short mediocrity. He simply pushed his
boss's agenda.

Regards,
Patrick

On 30 Dec 2016 12:01 PM, "Odhiambo Washington via kictanet" <
kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

> Dear Listers,
>
> I am at that position where I feel very lost. In fact, I feel like I am
> quite detached from the reality.
>
> All along, I have keenly considered this matter that seems to have divided
> the country down the middle: *Manual Backup* during the 2017 voting
> process. From the Jubilee/govt side this is a do or die and so it must be
> there. This govt side seems hell-bent on confusing the masses, as well as
> the experts like the ICT Community. From the Opposition side, the agenda
> seems to be very clear - that of ensuring integrity of the Voters Register
> and stopping 'ghost voters' from ever casting their votes.
>
> That brings us to the famous acronyms - BVI (Biometric Voter Register) /
> BVI (Biometric Voter Identification).
> Having been to a Voter Registration Centre (later to become a Polling
> Station) to register as a voter, I did look at the equipment in use for the
> registration process. I saw the laptop which was fitted with a camera and
> fingerprints scanner. All these require power to run. I did not dwell on
> how they were powered, but probably there was a battery backup somewhere
> (besides the electricity) given that they needed to run for a whole day for
> several days during the voter registration process. When it comes to the
> Elections, they only need to run for about 11 hours. My point here is that
> of *Backup Power* should it be that there's electricity blackout and the
> built-in batteries can't last the whole day. That backup is very important.
>
> However, I did not see any piece of equipment which could suggest that the
> equipment in use required any form of connectivity back to some central
> server in order to function! Which now brings me to the currently national
> debate - Manual Backup during the Poll Day. What is it? Was the CS honest
> with his presentation before the Senate/Amos Wako committee yesterday? Does
> the CS himself really believe in the content of his presentation? I am
> asking that because I watched him and I don't believe him. I actually think
> he mislead the committee, and hence the nation at large.
>
> Someone please prove me wrong. I am at that point where I believe that the
> BVR/BVI does NOT require any form of connectivity and so this Manual Backup
> being touted by the ruling coalition side, strongly supported by  the ICT
> CS is a big lie. WHY?
>
> My very first answer: Simply put, *when there was no requirement for a
> manual backup during voter registration, it goes without saying that there
> is NO NEED for on the polling day.*
>
>
> 1. For the issue that is in contention - BVR (used for BVI during polling)
> - this is a database that can be (and should be) statically stored on the
> equipment for each polling station. We are not supposed to rely on the
> Mobile Network to access this voters database. And every polling station
> can have two/three laptops/Biometrics scanner/Backup batteries to ensure
> that the voter identification doesn't fail.
> Some excuse has been fronted about some voters being mechanics, such that
> their fingerprints wouldn't be recognized by the BVI systems hence need for
> manual identification. My take on that is that every voter must carry their
> voter's card on that day. The clerks can check that card number against the
> electronic system - enter it, and it will bring the person's picture, ID
> number, etc and let him cast his ballot.
>
> 2. For electronics results transmission (ERT), this is not even necessary
> in the first place. We can have the results collated/announced at the
> tallying centres after being certified - forms 36A, and such. However, if
> the ERT must be done, the data footprint is so tiny that a 2G network can
> be used. Besides, it can be an SMS based system, which doesn't require 3G
> or VSAT. The results data isn't that large - it can't be in Megabytes to be
> sincere. Well, VSAT can be used if they MUST, but this is after the voting
> process itself is complete, has nothing to do with BVI.
>
> The ERT and the BVR/BVI are two distinct systems. That is what I want to
> believe. The ERT gets feedback from a manual process - of voters casting
> their vote, clerks/agents counting, verifying, and certifying, filling
> requisite forms then communicating the same via some customized phones
> which are programmed to communicate to a backend system. Am I right on
> that??
>
> Now the big question here is, where do we need this much touted manual
> backup where network connectivity is being used as the major reason???
>
> (a) Citing terrorism and the possibility of Al Shabaab knocking off base
> stations seems like well thought out lie meant to cover our eyes! If they
> attacked an area, I doubt there will be voting in the 1st place.
>      And even so, the network connectivity is not required for BVI so
> there is no disenfranchising anyone if there is no manual backup (whatever
> that is).
>
> (b) Citing hacking is neither here nor there for a BVR/BVI system because
> it's not being accessed live during the voting. It's a static database,
> unique to the polling station, resident on the laptop used by the clerks.
> The only hacking that can be done then can only be by an "insider". Quoting
> Victor Kapiyo from Social Media, "*I guess it's a question of trust.
> Trust in systems and in trustworthy people to do the right thing. For
> M-Pesa, or KCSE results, we trust both. For IEBC, I guess the jury is still
> out*."
>
> The main issue is not allowing the dead voters to rise again to vote in
> the presidential vote, then disappear. So the important component here is
> the BVR/BVI, the credibility of the register and hence the vote.
>
> At what point does the BVI system require this connectivity they are
> talking about, which then necessitates the so called "manual backup"?
>
> Did the CS ICT lie to the Senate?? Did the CAK lie to the Senate in
> supporting the lie from the CS??
>
> There is insincerity in this whole debate about 'manual backup' and the
> ICT community seems to either support it or is simply lost in the pool of
> confusion being peddled by politicians.
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Best regards,
> Odhiambo WASHINGTON,
> Nairobi,KE
> +254 7 3200 0004/+254 7 2274 3223
> "Oh, the cruft."
>
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