Fiji Awaits Answers on Election Night App Glitch
“We have not received any clear instructions from our line Minister, the Minister for Justice, on the glitch issue,” she said.
Monday 13 January 2025 | 11:25
The Coalition Government's pledge to investigate the mysterious 'glitch' during the 2022 General Election remains unfulfilled, leaving Fijians in the dark two years later.
Supervisor of Elections (SoE) Ana Mataiciwa confirmed that despite preparations for the 2026 polls, no clear instructions have been received from Justice Minister Siromi Turaga on addressing the issue.
On December 14, 2022, the Fijian Elections Office (FEO) app malfunctioned during the counting of votes, forcing a suspension of provisional results.
Related stories
The then-SoE Mohammed Saneem attributed the crash to failed data transmission attempts, which caused certain candidates to receive incorrect vote tallies.
As a result, certain candidates received a disproportionate number of votes.
At the time, Sitiveni Rabuka, then-leader of the People’s Alliance, expressed distrust in the election outcome following the glitch.
Since her appointment, Ms Mataiciwa has consistently stressed the importance of a comprehensive report on the incident.
“We have not received any clear instructions from our line Minister, the Minister for Justice, on the glitch issue,” she said.
Background
The 2022 General Election saw 473,910 voters participate, a turnout of 68.3 per cent from 693,915 registered voters. Provisional results were released on election night, with final results issued on December 18. A total of nine political parties and two independent candidates contested 343 seats for 55 parliamentary positions.
A joint 2022 report by the Electoral Commission and the SoE noted complaints submitted via the Commission’s portal on the night of the glitch. Despite pledges to investigate, the Coalition Government, sworn in just before Christmas 2022, has yet to deliver clarity.
Ms Mataiciwa emphasised the urgency: “Two years have passed since the elections, and many stakeholders, including political parties, candidates, and voters, want updates on this matter.”
Storage issues have also surfaced, with Ms Mataiciwa highlighting the need for the FEO to act on ballot boxes stored at its warehouse ahead of 2026 election preparations.
Justice Minister Siromi Turaga and Permanent Secretary Selina Kuruleca are expected to respond today.
Feedback: jone.salusalu@fijisun.com.fj
