By RENSON BULUMA
KENYA: A poll petitioner has claimed Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials, who presided over March 4 elections in Budalangi Constituency, were bribed.
The petitioner is challenging election of Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba. Petitioner’s lawyer Ashford Muriuki said some of the presiding officers appointed by the commission attended a meeting at Mulukhoba Beach Resort, which was convened on March 1 by Busia branch Kenya National Union of Teachers but was addressed by ODM candidates Amos Wako and Namwamba.
Lawyer Muriuki citing an affidavit sworn by witness John Ochieng sought to know from Budalangi IEBC coordinator Paul Kones why some of officials appointed by the commission to act as presiding officers had attended the meeting against electoral guidelines.
“According to the rules, clerks, deputy presiding officers and presiding officers are not supposed to attend political meetings or be partial, yet some of the officials that had taken oath of secrecy on February 28 attended the meeting,” said Muriuki.
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Kones said he was not aware his officers attended the meeting adding that if there were officers, who attended the meeting after they had taken oath of secrecy to work as presiding officers, they did so against rules.
“I told them all the rules and if they are found to have attended the meeting, they did so at individual level and, therefore, they are liable to resulting consequences,” said Kones.
