Blunder Forces IEBC To Suspend Elections In These Counties
IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati revealed that the suspension was enforced after inaccurate details of the candidates were found on the ballot papers meant for the two counties.
Marvin Chege 
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has suspended the gubernatorial elections in Kakamega and Mombasa counties.
Speaking during a press briefing at Bomas of Kenya on Monday, August 8, IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati revealed that the suspension was enforced after inaccurate details of the candidates were found on the ballot papers meant for the two counties.
"We wish to inform the country that ballot papers for Kakamega county governor have wrong pictures of candidates and their details printed on them. Mombasa gubernatorial ballot papers had wrong pictures and details printed on them.
IEBC Chairman, Wafula Chebukati addressing the media on August 5, 2022. /IEBC
"The election in these positions has been suspended to a later date which will be communicated through a gazette notice," Chebukati said.
Chebukati also announced that the National Assembly elections in Kacheliba and Pokot South constituencies have also been called off.
He also stated that the issue of ballot papers belonging to various wards appearing at the wrong polling stations has been resolved.
"The commission has since re-routed the ballot papers to the rightful places using air transport contracted to facilitate such emergencies," he noted.
Chebukati also revealed that a KIEMS kit that was meant to go to the Moyale constituency had been reported missing, with police launching investigations into the matter.
"We have blacklisted and replaced the missing kit. Any activity or data originating from the device will be flagged and isolated from the system - the kit will not be useful," he added.
This is as two cases of insecurity have been reported in Turkana and Mandera counties. In Turkana, bandits attacked and burned down homes in Kapedo and Napeitom wards, displacing a population expected to vote in three polling stations.
Chebukati noted that the county returning officer and police have advised that the election be conducted in neighbouring polling centres.
Meanwhile, in Mandera, Chebukati disclosed that unknown people burned down two classrooms in Hareri Primary School which is a gazetted polling station in Khalalio ward, Mandera East Constituency.
“Security has been beefed up and polling will proceed as planned with the remaining part of the buildings which have not been affected,” he said.
While addressing the incident in which election materials were allegedly destroyed in Tharaka Nithi County, Chebukati noted that no ballot paper was destroyed, just name tags and other materials which would be easily replaced.
He further observed that a directive by the Court of Appeal which suspended the High Court's directive compelling the commission to use the manual register was taken into notice and would be complied with.
"We have accordingly directed our staff to now follow the procedure so that they have the manual register and only use it if only the KIEMS kits fail," he said.
IEBC registration clerks at Madaraka primary school using the Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS) kit. /STANDARD DIGITAL
