A day after Azimio la Umoja One Kenya raised concerns over the printing of duplicated results declaration Forms 34A and 34B, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has summoned the four presidential candidates to address the issue.
In a letter signed by IEBC Chief Executive Officer, Marjan Hussein Marjan, the four presidential candidates are scheduled to meet the Commission on Friday, July 29, at the Bomas of Kenya, 10 days to the August 9 presidential polls.
"The purpose of this letter is to invite you and/or your representatives to a consultative meeting to address the concerns raised," read the letter in part.
On Wednesday, July 27, Raila and his team wondered why the IEBC was printing the forms in duplicate, terming it as a 'disturbing issue'.
The former Prime Minister had sent two members of his team to Athens, Greece, to inspect the printing of election materials.
In a letter to the IEBC chairman, Wafula Wanyonyi Chebukati, the Azimio team sought clarification on the issues raised.
"After enquiring why there were duplicate forms, the electoral officials said that extra forms were to be given to election observers, media, and other stakeholders," noted Azimio in its letter.
However, the team was not convinced, noting that there were other irregularities in the printing of the results declaration forms. According to the team, all the forms had varying serial numbers.
Deputy President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) also wrote to Chebukati asking him to convene an urgent meeting to address the issue.
"Our representatives engaged the IEBC Commissioners who were part of the delegation and openly opposed the printing of the second set of Form 34A," read the UDA letter in part and as signed by the party's Secretary General, Veronica Maina.
"Together with Azimio representatives, we reached a consensus that IEBC needs to schedule an urgent meeting to clear the air as to why there is a need to print a second set of Form 34A. In our view, the Commission should stick to one Form 34A."
In June, the team had also lamented over the company chosen to print the election materials.
The Azimio La Umoja presidential flagbearer, Raila Odinga, stated that Inform Lykos was responsible for the postponement of the General Election in Nigeria in February 2019.
With only 11 days to the 9 August polls, the IEBC is racing to ensure transparency and fairness.
