IEBC Suspends Votes Tallying in 2 Constituencies

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga casting his vote in Kibra Constituency on August 9, 2022.
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga casting his vote in Kibra Constituency on August 9, 2022.
COURTESY

Tallying at  Bobasi Constituency, Kisii county has been suspended after chaos erupted at the centre.

According to preliminary reports, four ballot boxes allegedly marked in favour of one candidate were found in a private room within the tallying centre.

Following chaos, police intervened and arrested the Presiding Officer, polling clerks and agents. 

Tallying was also suspended in Nairobi's Mathare constituency and Kuria West constituency following similar claims of ballot stuffing.

An IEBC official coordinates voters at a polling station in Kenya.
An IEBC official coordinates voters at a polling station in the 2013 General Elections.
IEBC

Mathare's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate, Billian Ojiwa, forced the electoral body to halt the tallying process after raising rigging claims.

Ojiwa argued that ballot boxes in Hospital Ward, Ngeil Ward and Huruma Ward were tampered with. 

"Someone was found trying to open the ballot boxes and we have also noticed that some had foreign ballots papers," Ojiwa alleged.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) stated that the vote-counting process would resume after the raised issues were addressed.

This followed hours after Kirinyaga Governor, Anne Mumbi Waiguru, raised alarm over rigging claims.

Waiguru alleged that two stuffed ballot boxes were sneaked into a tallying centre during the vote counting process.

She thus called for stopping of the tallying process in Kirinyaga.

"Rigging in broad daylight. Two ballot boxes with governors' ballots enter Kianyaga through the back door in broad daylight! They must be removed and counting must stop," Waiguru stated.

Waiguru is battling for the gubernatorial seat with Purity Ngirici, an independent candidate.

The first time governor had raised an issue with IEBC after ballot Kirinyaga ballot papers were taken to Kakamega county.

"Since our ballot papers are in Kakamega and we are told there was no exact number per polling station, why didn’t IEBC notice the shortfall? Where are those ballots as we speak? When will they get here?" Waiguru wondered at the time.

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru and UDA running mate Rigathi during a campaign tour in Kagio on August 3, 2022..jpg
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru and UDA running mate Rigathi during a campaign tour in Kagio on August 3, 2022.
Anne Waiguru
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