Wafula Chebukati fetes eight IEBC staff for bravery

IEBC Returning Officers Mathew Chenger and Gilbert Serem [Jennipher Wachie, Standard]

The electoral commission has feted eight staff for outstanding performance despite being harassed, injured and bullied by politicians and their supporters in the just concluded by-elections.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chair Wafula Chebukati awarded certificate of recognition to the returning and presiding officers for standing their ground to deliver a free, fair and credible election.

The staff included Juja constituency Returning Officer Titus Mbithi, presiding officers Carol Mueni Kimeu and Nancy Wangari Ndungu, London Ward Returning Officer Gilbert Serem, Milimani polling station Presiding Officer David Too Kipkorir, Msambweni Returning Officer Yusuf Mohamed and deputy presiding officers Mwanajuma Mwarongo and Godfrey Mosota.

Others are Matungu constituency Returning Officer John Kirui, Bulonga Primary School polling station Presiding Officer Peter Juma Okura and Munami Primary School polling station Presiding Officer Maureen Naliaka Lusambu.

Chebukati recounted that on May 18 at around 7.30pm there were chaos after five men stormed Jomo Kenyatta DEB Primary School polling station where Kimeu was the Presiding Officer. Things turned ugly after she had finished counting the votes, filled the results declaration forms 35A which were signed by all agents and other administrative forms and packed the election materials in the ballot box.

Alien ballot papers

“Then five men stormed the polling station and dropped on the counting area papers resembling ballot papers. These men then ordered her to count the alien ballot papers.

Suddenly, the police officers assigned to offer security at the polling station went missing, exposing the presiding officer and poll officials to harm,” noted Chebukati.

The IEBC chair lauded Kimeu for bravery in defending the integrity of the election. “One man got agitated and kicked the ballot box which hit the wall and cracked. Suddenly, gunshots rent the air. In the commotion, she tightly held on to the election results forms and the KIEMS kits, dashed outside, crossed the road and hid in the bush,” he said.

“The presiding officer contacted the constituency tallying center and was rescued by an IEBC investigator and driven to the tallying centre.”

In the same constituency, Mogaka a Presiding Officer at Jomo Kenyatta Primary School polling station had also completed counting the votes and filling election results declaration form when police officers other than those assigned to him arrived in the company of some men.

Chebukati said the men placed marked papers resembling ballot papers on the table and ordered him and the polling station clerks to count and capture the same in the election results declaration forms.

“A party agent then stepped in, picked the fake ballot papers and started tearing them. Suddenly gun shots were heard outside the polling station. There was commotion. In the ensuing melee, the presiding officer secured the statutory results forms and the KIEMS kits. He dashed out and hid in a thicket from where he rescued by the IEBC investigation officers,” he said.

At Gachororo Primary School polling station in the same constituency, Ms Ndungu witnessed unknown people storm the polling station and switch off the lantern lamp, plunging the place into darkness.

“When she switched on the lamp she noticed several papers resembling ballot papers had been placed beneath the counting table by the goons. She declined to include the same in the final count,” said Chebukati.

In the by-election in Matungu on March 4, Okura, a Presiding Officer at Bulonga Primary School polling station was slapped by former Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa after a scuffle at 7.30am.

“He exercised self-restraint and adhered to the rule of law. He did not fight back. His bravery led his team in restoring order and voting resumed,” noted Chebukati.

Naliaka, a Presiding Officer at Munami Primary School polling station was manhandled, intimidated and harassed in full view of cameras when she declined attempts to compromise the election process.

On December 11, during the Msambweni by-election, deputy presiding officers Mwanajuma and Mosota secured the election material after teargas canisters were lobbed in the polling centre.

Chebukati said the duo mastered courage and stepped into the shoes of the Presiding Officer who had fled for safety and delivered the results.