IEBC officials defend Kirinyaga Governor Waiguru's win

Narc-Kenya leader Martha Karua testifies in court in her petition opposing the election of Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, on May 9, 2018. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Ms Karua has advanced is that some of her agents were unjustifiably barred from accessing certain polling stations.
  • IEBC officials denied allegations by Narc-Kenya party leader Martha Karua that the election was marred by irregularities.

The electoral agency has stood by the victory of Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru.

Kirinyaga Returning Officer Seki Lempaka and presiding officers Mary Nyambura, Bedan Mwendia and Edward Njoka denied allegations by Narc-Kenya party leader Martha Karua that the governorship election was marred by irregularities.

They on Friday told Kerugoya High Court Judge Lucy Gitari that the August 8, 2017 election was conducted legally.

POLLING STATIONS

Some of the claims Ms Karua has advanced is that some of her agents were unjustifiably barred from accessing certain polling stations, an allegation Ms Nyambura - who was the presiding officer at Kimunye Primary School polling station - denied.

Ms Nyambura clarified that she blocked agent Lucy Njeri from entering the station because she did not have the requisite documents.

Agent Njeri, who had arrived at 6am, was only allowed in at around 7.20am after returning with the documents, including a letter of appointment as an agent, oath of secrecy from commissioner of oaths and a national identity card.

Ms Nyambura added that she demanded the same documents from all agents.

"Am a person of integrity. I have high responsibility. I had no reason to bar any agent who had all the required documents," she said.

AFFIDAVIT

She also denied misleading voters as alleged by Ms Karua in the petition that seeks to nullify Governor Waiguru’s victory.

Ms Karua had told the court that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) official blocked her agent on grounds that the appointment letter needed a stamp from the electoral agency.

"You knowingly denied Lucy Njeri access to the polling station without justification. You are an unmitigated liar to a cover-up.

"Njeri was thrown out of the polling station on flimsy reasons deliberately without lawful justification. She was barred for one and a half hours," Ms Karua said on Friday.

The court further heard that Ms Njeri has not filed an affidavit to challenge what happened at the polling station.

VOTERS

On his part, Presiding Officer Bedan Mwendia also denied committing electoral malpractices such as misleading assisted voters who wanted to vote for Ms Karua but ended up voting for Governor Waiguru.

He was the presiding officer at Kimunye polling station two.

Mr Mwendia disputed Ms Karua’s allegation that he failed to allow agents near the polling booth when he was assisting voters to mark ballot papers.

Governor Waiguru’s lawyer Andrew Muchiri questioned why none of the voters allegedly misled by the presiding officers has filed an affidavit to bolster the claim.