FIGHT BREAKS OUT AT IEBC CENTER

IEBC commissioner, Justus Nyang’aya, has refuted reports alleging that staff at the commission wrangled over the surprise arrival of ballot papers at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on July 7.

Speaking to Ramogi TV on Saturday, July 9, Nyang’anya acknowledged that all the commissioners were caught off guard as there was no prior communication. 

He explained that the controversy was caused by the technical team mandated to oversee the printing and delivery of the ballot papers.

IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati during the voter transmission simulation exercise at the Bomas of Kenya on Thursday. June 9, 2022.
IEBC
Further, he played down allegations of any suspicious activity regarding the arrival of the papers.

“We formed a project implementation committee which was tasked with being the intermediary link between the Greek company and the commission.

“They are the ones who delayed in communicating the arrival of the ballot papers including the chairman, Wafula Chebukati, himself,” he stated.

During a presser on Thursday (July, 7) Chebukati denied keeping his fellow commissioners in the dark but dared disgruntled members to speak out publicly.

“The management informed us about the arrival of the ballot papers last night and I conveyed the message to the commissioners. If there is any commissioner who has told you otherwise, I would like them to come forward and clarify their statements,” he stated.

Juliana Cherera, IEBC vice-chairperson concurred saying “It is true that he (Chebukati) got the message last night and communicated it to the commissioners. We have a committee that is overseeing that.” 

The arrival of the ballot papers put the electoral body in the spotlight as they had not gazetted the names of the candidates prior to the printing exercise.

However, Chebukati explained that the delays had been caused by mechanical issues with the government printer. 

“We submitted this on June 30 and what happened in the government printer is beyond our control.

“But we hope that by the end of the day, the Gazette notice will be out,” Chebukati stated then.

Story courtesy