Effect of electoral information communication technologies on employees performance: A case of independent electoral and boundaries commission in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

A proper electoral system reflects the true voice of the people in a nation and thus, a better government which respect and uphold the ideals of constitutionalism. The advancement of information and communication technologies allow for a fully automated online computerized electoral process. In addition to overcoming commonly encountered election pitfalls, electoral vote counts are done in real time that by the end of elections day, the results are automatically out. (Njogu, 2014). Employees’ performance is key to organization goal delivery. Such performance can be enhanced using modern technology so that the employee improves on work efficiency, quality, timeliness and productivity. The main objective of this study was to analyze effect of electoral information communication technologies on employees’ performance, a case study of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission in Nairobi County, Kenya. The study particularly analyzed effect of Biometric Voter Registration System (BVR), Electronic Voters Identification Device (EVID); Electronic Results Transmission (ERT) System and Electronic Voter Verification (EVV) System on IEBC permanent employees’ performance in Nairobi County. The study used descriptive survey research design. The target population of the study was the 203 permanent Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission employees working in Nairobi Region and the IEBC headquarter. The study used sampling formula recommended by Nassiuma (2000) to arrive at 98 of employees working in Headquarters and Nairobi Region leaving out other regions because the Headquarters is the custodian of electoral technologies and therefore have all the information of interest to the study. Nairobi region is the nearest region to the headquarters and therefore accessible to the technologies equally of interest to the research. Respondents were randomly picked to form the 98 sample. The researcher used close ended questionnaires based on Likert Scale as the main mode of data collection. The data analyzed through the use of descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The relationship between each of the elements of electoral technologies and employees performance was tested using a Pearson’s Correlation. The combined effect of all the technologies and employees performance was tested with the Regression Model. The study was important since Kenyans expressed complaints from the public about the electoral technology, the study therefore analyzed whether the technologies were important in enhancing employees’ performance. The study established that BVR, EVID and EVV had a positive effect on employees’ performance whereas ERT had no effect. the study recommends that although there is a debate on the use of electoral technology in results delivery as a national concern, with one side of the debate observing that technology makes electoral process complex and therefore not necessary and the other side observing that electoral technology leaves behind auditable foot print of electoral process and therefore must be enhanced the parliament should legislate laws that entrenches electoral ICT technologies in the Election Acts to give way for policies adjustment at IEBC level and strategies which should make the implementation of such technologies easy for the benefit of staff performance. Such policies and strategies should also embrace and enhance the use of other technologies; Biometric Voter Registration (BVR), Electronic Results Transmission (ERT) and Electronic Voter Verification (EVV) Systems that the study found to have a negative effect on employees performance.