Mandera: Three presiding officers questioned for alleged misconduct

Police in Mandera are questioning at least three presiding officers who oversaw elections on Tuesday. 

The three are alleged to have engaged in different malpractices that violated election laws.

One of them will have to explain why and how all ballot papers ended up in one box.

He delivered one box filled with ballot papers and five empty ones at the Mandera East constituency tallying centre.

Another presiding officer (PO) allegedly deserted duty at the Bula Mpya polling station in Mandera East. At the station, the results for the

Senate race were not delivered for tallying after form 38A went missing. 

A third PO will explain why ward rep results from Livestock polling station were not delivered. 

Form 36A containing the results for MCA seats was yet to be found at the constituency tallying centre. 

"We have asked the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to take over the three cases because they are electoral offences," said Mr Adan Harar, Mandera County elections manager.

Mr Harar also wants an MCA investigated after he stormed a polling centre and damaged election materials with an explosive at the Sala polling station in Lafey constituency.

"We don't have results for the Senate at the Sala polling station, stream one, after the ballot box was damaged," he said. 
He said the protesting MCA put many lives at risk. 

"There were about 200 voters, six polling officers and two police officers when all this happened. This MCA should be investigated because what he did is beyond normal crime," Mr Harar said. 

The ward rep was arrested and taken to the Mandera Police Station, but he was released on Tuesday on a free bond.

Mr Harar said vote tallying at the constituency level had been completed but officials were still verifying details before announcing the winners.