Agents’ signatures were forged, court told in Wambui’s petition

By Nderitu Gichure

A court was yesterday told that a presiding officer in one of the polling stations had more than one form for the declaration of election results for the National Assembly.

A chief campaigner for the petitioner contesting the election of Othaya MP Mary Wambui, said the officer had more than one original copy of Form 35.

Mr Stephen Muito who was the chief campaigner for Mr Peter King’ara said that one of his agents overheard a presiding officer at Mumbuni Primary School Polling Station saying: “Let’s give him this original one (to the agent) we will make another or other copies.”

However, Mr Muito who was being cross-examined by Independent and Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC) lawyer Mr Peter Munge acknowledged that there were numerous original copies of Form 35 and he did not know how they were being distributed.

Marred with irregularities

At some point, Mr Muito claimed his party agents did not sign the Form35 as alleged and the signature on the form might have been forged “because the hand writing was different from the one of the agent at Rukira polling station.”

He claimed the whole exercise of counting and tallying of vote was marred with irregularities.

Muito further alleged that in most of King’ara’s strongholds there were fewer Form 35 and this might have been deliberately done to deny his candidate victory.  He wondered why some agents from a rival party were being allowed to accompany ballot boxes in a van while others were being denied the opportunity.