Police probe Bura ballot box 'theft' by IEBC clerk
Ballot boxes lined up for tallying at the Bura Constituency tallying center in Tana River County on August 10, 2022.
There was drama in Bura, Tana River County, after an electoral commission clerk was arrested with a stolen ballot box full of votes on Tuesday evening.
The police intercepted the clerk and a boda boda rider as the two left the constituency tallying centre carrying the box containing ballots for the governor’s race from the Maramtu polling station.
Tana North police boss Ali Ndiema said the box was sneaked out as others were being loaded onto a lorry destined for the county tallying centre in Hola.
"We intercepted the two while they were almost leaving the perimeter. We are holding them for questioning and further investigation," he said.
He said the clerk claimed he was instructed through a phone call to deliver the ballot box.
Police are trying to identify the caller so as to verify the clerk’s claim.
Mr Ndiema said the ferrying of ballot boxes to Hola had been suspended until investigations were over.
Senior Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officers in charge of the constituency and county tallying centres had been summoned to record statements.
"The seals must be checked in the presence of agents and officers, and also we need their statements regarding this matter," he said.
County Returning Officer Yonah Ogalo said the clerk would be detained alongside the ballot box until the truth is established.
"We did a transparent exercise. It is, however, very strange that a clerk can come at this hour to steal a ballot box," he said.
Among the first people to arrive at the scene was Deputy Governor Ibrahim Sane (UDA).
Mr Sane claimed that the recent developments point to an attempt to tamper with evidence in an alleged flawed election.
He claimed last week’s polls were neither transparent nor fair and their team had begun preparing to challenge the results in court.
"We raised the red flag over the governor election outcome in Tana River. Our win was stolen and given to another and with this evidence and more, we shall prove it in court. We shall reclaim our victory," he said.
Meanwhile, he urged residents to maintain peace as they follow the legal proceedings.
Former Governor Hussein Dado had earlier disputed the gubernatorial results, terming them unfair.
