Evidence Links Homa Bay Cabinet Members to Voter Bribery

Fresh evidence emerged on Wednesday revealing how Chief Officers and County Executive Committee Members bribed voters in Homa Bay County to vote for Governor Cyprian Awiti.

A witness, Maddo Ochieng’, produced video evidence that showed some the officials dishing out money to voters at Kodula Market in Homa Bay to influence their choice of Governor candidates. 

In the video clips presented before the court, Mr Ochieng claimed that the officials were driving around in county government vehicles while bribing voters.

The witness further alleged that Governor Awiti ordered the county returning officer, Michael Kosgei, to declare the election results before receiving all the polling materials.

“I witnessed and recorded Chief Officers and County Executive Committee Members giving out money to voters during campaigns,” Ochieng’ stated.

[caption caption="Homa Bay Governor Cyprian Awiti"][/caption]

“There were delays at the county tallying centre on the declaration of election results because the election forms were not submitted on time. However, Governor Awiti demanded that the declaration should be made without all the electoral documents,” he added.

Mr Awiti’s lawyer Steve Biko and the IEBC’s lawyer Fredrick Orego, dismissed the claims citing lack of trust in the videos and their origin.

Biko argued that the video clips did not connect Awiti with the offences mentioned in his case.

Ochieng was testifying on behalf of former Kasipul MP Oyugi Magwanga who filed the petition challenging Awiti’s win.

In his affidavit, Magwanga asked the court to declare Awiti's election null and void.

[caption caption="Former Kapisul MP Oyugi Magwanga"][/caption]