The Coalition Government’s commitment to investigate the vote-counting ‘glitch’ that occurred during the 2022 General Election in Fiji is still unfulfilled, leaving citizens frustrated and questioning the integrity of the electoral process nearly two years later. Ana Mataiciwa, the current Supervisor of Elections, has expressed that there has been no directive from Justice Minister Siromi Turaga regarding how to address this significant issue.

The glitch occurred on December 14, 2022, when the Fijian Elections Office’s app malfunctioned during the vote counting, leading to a suspension of provisional results. Former Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem, had linked the failure to issues with data transmission, which resulted in certain candidates receiving incorrect vote counts. The aftermath of this glitch fueled skepticism among political figures, particularly from Sitiveni Rabuka, the then-leader of the People’s Alliance, who questioned the election’s outcome.

Despite ongoing preparations for the 2026 polls, Mataiciwa reiterated the need for a comprehensive report on the incident, sensing urgency as stakeholders—including political parties, candidates, and voters—remain eager for updates. She pointed out that two years have elapsed since the glitch, yet clarity on the matter is still absent.

The background context reveals that the 2022 General Election had a turnout of 68.3 percent, with 473,910 voters out of 693,915 registered. The election involved nine political parties and two independent candidates vying for 55 parliamentary seats. A joint report from the Electoral Commission and the Supervisor of Elections noted complaints filed regarding the glitch on the election night.

Minister Siromi Turaga, addressing the ongoing investigation at a recent conference on cybercrime and electronic evidence, acknowledged that discussions with the Electoral Commission regarding the report are still in progress, calling for further evaluations of initial findings before a full disclosure can be made. The prolonged attention to the investigation underlines the complexities involved in ensuring electoral integrity but serves as a hopeful reminder that continuous dialogue can lead to necessary improvements in the electoral framework.

This situation highlights the importance of transparency and accountability within Fiji’s electoral processes and the ongoing need for trust-building measures as the government approaches future elections. As discussions continue, there remains a glimmer of optimism that significant actions will be taken to address past election concerns, ensuring fairer and more reliable voting procedures in the future.