Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission ready for Makueni Senate by-election

By Geoffrey Mosoku

All is set for Friday’s Makueni Senate by-election, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has declared.

IEBC said on Monday it has put systems in place to ensure a free, fair, transparent election and peaceful exercise.

Commission vice chair Lillian Mahiri Zaja also said they will be able to print ballots in time, in spite of last week’s ruling that allowed Wiper party to replace Kethi Kilonzo, who had been barred.

“All arrangements had already been put in place and of course we were just waiting for the outcome of the case. We shall be able to print the ballot papers in time,” Mahiri-Zaja said.

Speaking during a breakfast meeting between the IEBC and Editors Guild at a city hotel, the commissioner said that they have engaged about 2,000 police officers who will man polling centres.

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She said there are 298,474 voters registered in Makueni County, 914 polling streams and there will be two security agents deployed to each of them to ensure that the exercise is not marred by any security hitch.

The commission has also recruited 1,828 officers to work as presiding and deputy presiding officers in the 914 polling streams.   

The electoral body will also train 2,742 clerks on Tuesday in readiness for Friday, while agents of political parties will undergo an induction course on Wednesday.

“In spite of earlier reports that Safaricom and pulled out of the election,  I can assure you that there are discussion going on between our technicians and the Safaricom and we will be able to relay the results on time,” she added.

IEBC also said they were prepared to ensure voters cast their ballot in a peaceful manner in an election that has once again reignited rivalry between Cord and Jubilee coalitions.

“It’s going to be a tight race and of course bringing in the same old fight of Jubilee, CORD but we are hoping that we will have a successful by-election,” Mahiri-Zaja said.

The Wiper party, which held the seat through the late Mutula Kilonzo, has nominated his son Mutula Kilonzo Junior to contest the seat.

Other candidates are Narc’s Phillip Kaloki, PICK’s Harun Mwau, Labour’s Jane Kitundu and independent candidate Urbanus Muthaka.