IEBC Officials Caught On Camera Tampering With Ballot Boxes

A section of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials have been accused of opening ballot boxes in Wajir in the absence of agents in a video produced as evidence.

In an affidavit filed by Ahmed Abdikadir who was the ODM governor's running mate, he stated that he witnessed ballot boxes being opened contrary to the requirements of the law.

"I only know that ballot boxes can be opened through a court order even if it is by IEBC officials," Mr Abdikadir told the court.

However, the electoral agency Returning Officer, Patrick Gatumba, in his defense, dismissed the allegations stating that some of the presiding officers did not sign or forgot to sign statutory forms because of fatigue.

[caption caption="Judge Alfred Mabeya"][/caption]

He further told Justice Alfred Mabeya that he declared the results based on the actual forms 37A supplied by the presiding officers and not the results displayed on the screen.

Last week, the court ordered IEBC and the returning officer to supply forms 37A and the KIEMs kits for scrutiny.

The petition filed by former Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi was challenging the declaration of Mohamed Mahamud as the winner.

Mr Abdullahi and another petitioner, Mahamed Abdi, want the court to nullify Mr Mahamud’s election on grounds that he was not qualified for the job.

They argued that the county boss was not validly cleared as a candidate for the seat as he lacked the required academic qualifications.

[caption caption="Former Wajir governor Ahmed Abdullahi"][/caption]

The petitioner, through lawyer Ombati Omwanza, argued that one of the forms used to declare the Wajir results was a presidential results form (34A).