Fiji’s Supervisor of Elections, Ana Mataiciwa, has announced that the Fijian Elections Office (FEO) will discontinue the use of its mobile app to broadcast election results in the upcoming general election. This decision stems from challenges experienced during the 2022 elections, where the app contributed to confusion among stakeholders due to conflicting results reported through multiple channels.
In her address to the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights, Mataiciwa explained that the app led to inconsistencies in result updates, creating discrepancies between what was displayed on the app, the FEO’s website, and what was communicated to media outlets. She noted that the requirement for continuous data uploads placed undue pressure on the results team, which sometimes compromised the verification processes.
To address these issues, the FEO plans to reinstate a media center utilized in previous elections, which will enable journalists to receive verified results directly from the national results center. Mataiciwa assured that this change aims to facilitate a more streamlined and reliable dissemination of election outcomes, thereby enhancing collaboration with media stakeholders.
This change aligns with the FEO’s broader commitment to improving electoral integrity, particularly following the notable discrepancies from the last election, which had raised concerns about the efficacy of the electoral process. By moving away from the problematic app and reintroducing a direct media center, the FEO is taking proactive steps to reinforce public trust going into the 2026 elections.
The commitment to enhanced quality assurance mechanisms reflects a significant shift towards greater transparency and more reliable electoral outcomes. Despite the challenges faced in past elections, this new direction signals a hopeful future for Fiji’s electoral integrity and the continued strengthening of its democratic processes. With these ongoing reforms, Fiji can foster a more robust electoral framework that is better equipped to meet the expectations of its citizens and uphold the principles of democracy.