Wife of Missing Returning Officer Speaks on His Disappearance

Tabitha Mbolu, the wife of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Returning Officer for Embakasi East, Daniel Musyoka Mbolu, now says she spoke to him moments before he went missing.

Speaking to the media on Sunday, August 14, Tabitha intimated that she last heard from her husband when he made a rather unusual call while still on duty.

She reckoned that he confirmed that work was going on as planned but did not mention any challenges he might have been facing.

“We usually spoke before he left for work and when he returned in the evening. I last spoke to him at midday on Wednesday.

“He admitted that the work was a lot, but assured me that he would come home as soon as he was done. He did not tell me that he had any issues at work,” Tabitha narrated.

Tabitha Mbolu, wife of Daniel Musyoka Mbolu

She noted that since Musyoka went missing, she had been trying to reach him via phone to no success.

In addition, the distraught wife noted that they had since launched search parties, which have not yielded any fruit.

“We have looked for him in all the places he could possibly be – from hospitals, pharmacies and even the mortuary- but to no avail. We ask anyone who is privy to his whereabouts to come forth with the information,” Tabitha stated.

On their part, Musyoka’s colleagues disclosed that he left his station shortly before the announcement of the results of the MCA and Member of Parliament elections. His last digital footprints were at 10am on August 11.

His family has linked his disappearance to his job at the Commission, terming it a high risk.

Notably, Musyoka is not new to working with IEBC. He began working with the Commission 15 years ago and served as a Returning Officer for Oloitoktok before being transferred to Embakasi East.

In a statement issued by IEBC Chairman, Wafula Chebukati, the Returning Officer’s colleagues raised an alarm after he went missing and phone could not be traced.

“The Returning Officer has been reported missing from the Embakasi tallying center. Reports received indicated that at around 9am yesterday, he was escorted to the tallying center by his bodyguard.

“At around 9:45am he excused himself to make a phone call but did not return to the office,” Chebukati stated.