Wafula Chebukati's IEBC team gets down to work amid concerns

The newly-appointed electoral commissioners have pledged to be impartial and fair while executing their mandate.

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati said his new team's interest is to serve the nation and ensure that the August General Election is free, fair, credible and transparent.

"We are not here for selfish pursuit but to serve this nation," said the IEBC chairman.

At a prayer breakfast meeting with IEBC staff yesterday, Chebukati and the new team sought divine intervention before embarking on delivering credible elections.

Aware that there are only 195 days left to the elections, the commissioners made frantic efforts to get updates on the ongoing voter registration among other issues.

By yesterday evening, they were still in consultation with the secretariat headed by Ezra Chiloba who is also the commission secretary. The tight programme forced them to call off an earlier planned briefing scheduled for today.

The commission is coming in amid controversies surrounding mixed names in the voter register and in some cases, earlier registered voters names missing from the roll.

SUSPENDED SERVICE

The Standard has learnt that although IEBC has suspended the short message service (SMS) code 22464 that allows voters to verify their details, it has emerged that there are still anomalies with double registration using the same identity card number.

For instance, ID Number 26802319 was used to register Elizabeth Muthoni Wanjohi in Chieni Primary School, Ruguru Ward of Mathira Constituency, Nyeri County.

Apparently, this same ID number was used to register Weldon Kibet Koech in Sitoton Primary School, Kiptororo Ward, Kuresoi North Constituency in Nakuru County.

And apart from that, ID Number 26832151 was used to register Mercy Chepkirui in Kapkelei Primary School, Kipsonoi Ward of Sotik Constituency, Bomet County and the ID card was also used to register Evans Kimathi Gitobu in Kayole 1 Primary School, Kayole North Ward of Embakasi Central Constituency in Nairobi.

In addition, the ID Number 26822961 was used to register Ann Wamucii Wachira in Deb Karatina Primary School, Karatina Town in Mathira Constituency and was also used to register a Martin Muriuki Kariuki at exactly the same polling station.

The Standard could not independently ascertain the authenticity of the claims, with the IEBC assuring that all the challenges will be addressed when the voter register is open for verification.

Commissions manager Andrew Limo explained that there has been a number of complaints from the public regarding mix up of ID numbers and the missing details of some of the registered voters.

"The commission is aware and has received a number of complaints. They are being addressed and a comprehensive communication will be made by the commissioners tomorrow (today)," said Limo.

"It has since been established that some voters attempt to confirm their records shortly after registering or applying to transfer polling stations," IEBC had said in a statement.