Lawyer Ken Nyaundi dismisses ‘chicken’ claims

Lawyer Ken Nyaundi has distanced himself from claims that he 'ate chicken' while serving as a commissioner of the defunct Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC).

In a statement, Nyaundi denied benefiting from any bribe (Chicken) which was allegedly being distributed from a UK firm supplying the electoral body with ballot papers five years ago.

He denied meeting Trevvy Oyombra, who was the local agent of Smith and Ouzman, adding that he had not communicated with the latter in any way. 

"I do not know him and have never had any transactions with him," he said.

Nyaundi and Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir are mentioned in the emails between Oyombra and the UK form bosses. 

"What is lacking and which the media refuses to clarify is that there is no communication between Mr Oyombra and myself with respect to the monetary negotiations he claims to be making on my behalf. The same may be said of Smith and Ouzman. It cannot therefore be factual to allege that I was one of the officials communicating and/or making monetary demands from Oyombra or Smith and Ouzman," he said.

Yesterday, Nyaundi confirmed he had travelled to the UK in his capacity as the referendum committee chairman, but the visit had nothing to do with the Shinyalu and Bomachoge by-elections.

"I acknowledge that I made a trip to the offices of Smith and Ouzman in the context of verifying ballot papers. This is a standard procedure not only for Kenya's electoral body but for all electoral commissions," he said.

Provide 'chicken'

"The responsibility for the accuracy of the ballot papers is that of the commission and not printer. The group named in Mr Oyombra's email as having travelled to Eastbourne is bound by virtue of officially allocated duties," he added.

According to UK court papers, there was an email exchange dated May 19, 2010, where Oyombra discussed an impeding travel by IIEC officials to London, and Nicholas Smith offered to provide some 'chicken' to the visitors (250 UK pounds each).

However, Oyombra warned about paying 'chicken' to the visitors.