The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has admitted that the results that were used to declare Anyang’ Nyong’o the Governor of Kisumu had errors.
County Returning Officer John Cox, Nyakach Constituency Returning Officer George Jobando, his Kisumu East counterpart Yvonne Oketch and her deputy Maureen Otili all stated that there were omissions which could have interfered with the accuracy of the results.
The four were speaking in a case in which former Governor Jack Ranguma is challenging Nyong’o's win in the August 8 elections.
[caption caption="Prof Anyang' Nyong'o"]
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Cox could not explain the various mistakes identified in the voting process, which included; inconsistencies in the results declared in Forms 37A, 37B and 37C, insecurity cases reported in various polling and tallying centres, and incomplete filling of the statutory forms.
In her defense, Ms Otili insisted that she had presented all the fully completed forms 37A and 37B to the County Returning Officer and did not alter any results.
“I had no role in altering the results as I had received from the constituency tallying centre," she stated.
Ms Otili, however, could not explain why votes cast were more than the registered voters in a polling station at Mamboleo Market.
Last week, IEBC officials also admitted errors in the Lamu Senatorial race and the Kisii Governorship.
In Lamu, County Returning Officer Mohamed Adan stated that he used Microsoft Excel to sum up the results and admitted there were some errors.
Mr Adan was testifying before High Court Judge Lady Justice, Asenath Ongeri, where he revealed that he hoped the results would match once the ballot boxes are reopened.
In Kisii, two IEBC returning officers admitted to errors in the final results of the Kisii governorship race.
Sidney Namulungu and Moses Daula, however, argued that the errors did not affect the final outcome.
The two were testifying in a petition filed by Kisii Jubilee Party Chief Agent Joel Makori challenging Governor James Ongwae’s election.
[caption caption="Kisii Governor James Ongwae"]
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Daula stated that the errors occurred during the transposition of results from 141 polling centres.
Namulungu, on his part, disclosed that there was a replication of votes in Bobasi and Bomachoge Borabu constituencies.
