NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 8 – The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has suspended gubernatorial elections in Kakamega and Mombasa over ballot paper mix-up.
Speaking during a press conference on Monday, the electoral body’s chairman Wafula Chebukati stated that poll dates will be announced through a gazette notice.
Chebukati stated that elections for members of National Assembly in Pokot South and Kacheliba constituencies have also been suspended due to errors on ballot papers.
“Ballot papers for the following elective positions were noted to have errors. Ballot papers for Kakamega county governor positions, Mombasa County have wrong gubernatorial candidate pictures and the details printed on them. Positions for members of the National Assembly in Pokot South and three in Kacheliba also have wrong gubernatorial candidate pictures and the details printed on them,” he stated.
The poll body also experienced confusion in several areas where ballot papers were wrongly routed a day to the polls.
Ballot papers for Fafi constituency were routed to ChukaIgambangombe in Tharaka Nithi County while ballot pallets for Mua County assembly ward in Machakos county were erroneously sent to Kuresoi constituency, Nakuru county.
“The commission has since sent ballot papers of those areas to the respective areas through air transport contracted to facilitate that emergency,” he stated.
In Moyale constituency, Marsabit county a kiems kit for urani polling station went missing while it was being charged ahead of deployment.
“The incident has been reported to Moyale polling station and investigation into the loss is ongoing.The commission has blacklisted the kiems kit and any activity from the kit has been flagged,”Chebukati stated.
The commission also noted two cases of insecurity in Turkana and Mandera counties ahead of the General Election.
He explained that in Turkana County, bandits attacked and burned down homes in Kapedo and Napeitom wards, displacing a population expected to vote in 3 polling stations.
Chebukati indicated that the county returning officer and police have advised that the election be conducted in neighboring polling centres.
“Arrangements are being made and voters will be informed accordingly where they will be voting in that area,” Chebukati said.
Meanwhile in Mandera, the IEBC boss said unknown people burned down two classrooms in Hareri Primary School which is a gazetted polling station in Khalalio ward, Mandera East Constituency.
“Security has been beefed up and polling will continue in the neighboring building that has not been affected,” the poll chair said.
The commission has deployed 465,660 temporary staff towards the conduct of the elections which include presiding officers, poll clerks and security officials.
“I call upon all our temporary officials to conduct the elections with utmost integrity for the benefit of our country Kenya,” he stated.
