Distribution of election materials marred by mix-ups in some areas

election materials

 IEBC officials sort voting materials at Kericho Tea Boys Secondary School in Kericho County before distribution to various polling centres.

Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group

Confusion rocked Mombasa, Kakamega, and Tharaka-Nithi counties yesterday after they received ballot papers that do not belong to them.

Elections officials were last evening seeking to rectify mix-up.

Mombasa and Kakamega gubernatorial elections were suspended after errors were discovered on the ballot paper.

In Mvita constituency in the Mombasa, there was confusion after ballot papers for the Kilifi governor race were found at the Allidina Visram High School, which is the constituency’s distribution centre.

In Kisuani, Returning Officer Wario Ibrahim said there was an issue with ballot papers for the Mombasa governor position, but the matter was being addressed by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati.

election materials

Polls officials pack food and other items to be used by presiding officers, deputy presiding officers and cerks in various polling stations in Soy Constituency, Uasin Gishu County, at the constituency’s tallying centre at County Hall in Eldoret town.

Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group

He indicated that they are in the process of dispatching ballot papers for the other five elective posts to various polling stations.

In Kakamega, confusion arose after the ballot papers for the governor candidates in Kirinyaga County were dispatched to the devolved.

It was unclear where the ballot papers for Kakamega County had been delivered to, leading to delays in the preparations. Kakamega County has a total of 844,709 registered voters and 1,685 polling stations.

Mumias East Returning Officer Daniel Amach confirmed the mix-up of ballot papers.

This was after he received a call from an IEBC official asking him to counter-check the details on the ballot papers delivered to the constituency tallying centre.

Mr Amach, in the presence of political party agents, some aspirants and a few presiding officers for Kakamega County opened the ballot box only to discover that it belonged to Kirinyaga County despite it being labelled Mumias West Constituency.

“I hope the problem will be solved before tomorrow but at the moment we don’t know where ballot papers for the gubernatorial position belonging to Kakamega County are, all we know is that we have those for Kirinyaga County,” said Mr Amach.

The cancellation of elections for the governor post were later announced by Mr Chebukati.

In Tharaka-Nithi, ballot papers for Fafi ward in Garissa County were found in Chuka/Igambang'ombe. County Returning Officer Mohamed Raka said Mugwe ward ballot papers were traced to Garissa County.

“There is a mix-up of ballot papers for Fafi ward in Garissa County and our Mugwe ward in Chuka/Igambang’ombe constituency," said Mr Raka.

He said he had already informed the national office and a chopper was to be dispatched to move the two pallets.

He said it is the only anomaly that had been reported across the county and assured the residents that the issue will not affect the voting exercise.

Presiding and deputy presiding officers for various polling stations in Soy Constituency, Uasin Gishu County, and security officers at County Hall in Eldoret town, the constituency tallying centre, on August 8, 2022.

Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group

He urged the election officials across the three constituencies – Maara, Tharaka and Chuka/Igambang’ombe – to strictly adhere to the rules.

The county has a total of 231,932 registered voters according to the 2022 IEBC register.

Chuka/Igambang'ombe constituency leads with 84,678 voters followed by Tharaka (74,010) and Maara the with 73,248 voters.

Reported by Hellen Shikanda, Benson Amadala, Shaban Makokha, Sylvania Ambani, Alex Njeru, Brian Ocharo and Farhiya Hussein