IEBC Suspends Gubernatorial Elections in Kakamega , Mombasa

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission on Monday, August 8, suspended the gubernatorial elections in Kakamega and Mombasa counties.

Speaking during a press briefing at Bomas of Kenya, IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati explained that the decision was reached after the commission established that the ballot papers had inaccurate details of candidates.

“We wish to inform the country that ballot papers for Kakamega county governor have wrong pictures of candidates and their details printed on them. Mombasa gubernatorial ballot papers had wrong pictures and details printed on them.

“The election in these positions has been suspended to a later date which will be communicated through a gazette notice,” Chebukati stated.

Chebukati also announced that the poll agency had called off the National Assembly elections in Kacheliba and Pokot South constituencies.

Notably, he maintained that only those candidates who were gazetted in four stations will be on the ballot papers – which will be printed at the cost of inform Lykos.

He also addressed the issue of ballot papers belonging to various wards to the wrong polling stations, noting that the commission had moved swiftly to contain the situation.

“The commission has since re-routed the ballot papers to the rightful places using air transport contracted to facilitate such emergencies,” he noted

In addition, he revealed that a KIEMS kit destined for Moyale constituency had been reported missing and that the police had launched investigations into the matter.

“We have blacklisted and replaced the missing kit. Any activity or data originating from the device will be flagged and isolated from the system – the kit will not be useful,” he affirmed.

While addressing the incident where election materials were allegedly destroyed in Tharaka Nithi County were destroyed, Chebukati clarified that no ballot paper was destroyed.

He stated that the items destroyed were name tags and other materials which can be replaced with ease.

When questioned on the directive issued by the Court of Appeal which suspended a directive by the High Court that directed the Commission to use the manual register, the IEBC Chair noted that it would comply with the verdict.

“We have accordingly directed our staff to now follow the procedure so that they have the manual register and only use it if only the KIEMS kits fail,” he noted.