Three voters from Mandera North Constituency have moved to court to protest a sudden decision by the IEBC to move a tallying station just two weeks to election day.
Mohammed Ibrahim, Yusuf Haji and Salima Hassan have accused the electoral body of planning to interfere with the polls by moving the tallying centre from a local primary school to the sub-county commissioner's offices.
"Since time immemorial, the tallying centre for Mandera North Constituency has always been at Rhamu Arid Zone Primary School. The decision to move the tallying centre to a Government office indicates intended rigging," stated the lawyer, Mr Samuel Ayieko, who is representing the voters.
Further, the three took issue with the IEBC for unilaterally taking the action without involving the locals in the decision.
The lawyer additionally accused senior politicians from the county of orchestrating the event to accommodate their plans to rig the presidential, gubernatorial and parliamentary votes.
"The new gazetted tallying centre at the sub-county commissioner's office is a small enclosed office which can only accommodate few people. It, therefore, means party representatives and observers will be locked out during tallying of votes," the lawyer observed.
Ayieko termed the move as illegal, unconstitutional and unprocedural arguing that it would interfere with the process and the right to a free, fair and credible election.
"IEBC can only assure the electorate of credible elections by showing openness. It is illogical for them to deviate from this," he stated.
The elections body announced plans to close down and move polling stations in areas marked as violence hotspots last week.
The body intends to move the polling stations from the volatile regions to safer areas to allow for voters to cast their ballots in a safer environment.
Read More: IEBC to Close Down Polling Stations in 27 Counties
