Five Returning Officers (RO) and a number of deputy returning officers are set to be sent home in a cleanup exercise by the IEBC ahead of the repeat presidential election.
In the exercise, 14 other officials are set to be issued with a final warning with 29 other officers being given verbal warnings over anomalies encountered during the August elections.
Reports indicate that the five returning officers would be replaced with experienced staff from the headquarters and who have previously worked as returning officers.
Other than the ROs, an estimated 200 presiding officers whose declaration forms had errors will also not to be rehired.
[caption caption="File image of IEBC officials at Bomas tallying Centre"]
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According to the Nation, among those believed to have been interdicted is the Embakasi South deputy returning officer who was accused of breaking seals and opening ballot boxes to retrieve Forms 34A without a court order.
IEBC chief executive Ezra Chiloba while speaking to a local daily explained that the commission had invited a number of IEBC officials to explain some queries adding that a report had already been prepared.
IEBC Communication Manager Andrew Limo on his part dismissed the claims stating that he was not aware of the reports.
According to Limo, all returning officers and their deputies would be in Nairobi at the end of the week to commence their training for the repeat polls.
“All I know is that such changes, if and when they come, must be sanctioned by the decision-making organ of the commission.
“Only then can one know those who will be retained,” he stated.
[caption caption="IEBC Commissioners at a past retreat"]
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