Recount shows there was no mix up in tallying

From right, former Kasipul MP Oyugi Magwanga , his lawyer Jack Oronga (second right) Homa Bay Governor Cyprian Awiti’s lawyer Emanuel Awiti and IEBC’s lawyer Fredrick Orego at the Homa Bay election court. [Photo by James Omoro/Standard]

A recount of votes cast in governor's election last August has put to rest claims of a mix up in the tallying of results.

During the hearing of a petition challenging Governor Cyprian Awiti's election, a witness claimed that there was a mix up at Nyakwadha Primary School polling centre where votes for President Uhuru Kenyatta were given to Awiti's opponent Oyugi Magwanga.

Rangwe Returning officer Ezekiel Juma had claimed that President Kenyatta’s one vote was given to Mr Magwanga while NASA leader Raila Odinga’s 328 votes were given to Mr Awiti.

But on Wednesday, during the third day of vote scrutiny and recount, it was revealed that Governor Awiti actually got 212 while Magwanga got 118 votes. Nyakwadha is among the 35 polling stations in which gubernatorial votes were recounted yesterday.

It also emerged that results from the stations already recounted showed consistencies with the IEBC officials results from which Awiti was declared winner.

Homa Bay Deputy Registrar Lester Simiyu who presided over the exercise said votes cast in 46 polling stations were yet to be scrutinised.

“We are going on with the exercise well. I hope we shall begin compiling a report on Wednesday so that it is presented to Justice Joseph Karanja for judgment,” said Ms Simiyu.

However, the vote recount results revealed consistency in records used by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to declare the winner.