Global social networking platform, Twitter, has introduced a new feature to flag unofficial election results shared by supporters and teams of August 9 presidential candidates.

Twitter introduced an information tab on Wednesday, August 10, after various leaders and supporters of leading presidential candidates started sharing results on the platform.

The new tab appears below the poll results shared by individuals, cautioning users that the results do not emanate from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

A screenshot of Twitter's information tab below Edwin Sifuna's tweet. FILE 

The results shared by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General, Edwin Sifuna, were the first to be flagged by the social media giant.

"The Kenyan Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) might not have called the election results when it was tweeted," read the cautionary message. 

Additionally, in the message tab, Twitter added a link that enables the users to access the tallying process by the electoral body.

The link also details how results will be announced by the IEBC chairperson, Wafula Chebukati.

"The results will be announced by the IEBC on or before August 15. According to the constitution, election results must be announced on or before seven days after the vote," read the message in part.

IEBC is yet to announce any results from the over 46,000 polling stations. However, the electoral Commission created a portal where Kenyans can access results declared at the polling station level.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, August 10, Chebukati stated that the Commission was in process of verifying the results and will announce them per constituency.

However, he urged the media to speed up their tallying process, noting that over 97 per cent of polling centres posted the results on the IEBC portal. 

"It appears the media did not prepare very well, the actual figures should be at around 97 per cent," Chebukati noted.

IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati at the Bomas of Kenya on Monday, August 8, 2022. By WASHINGTON MITO, KENYANS.CO.KE