20 ballot boxes found in Kisii hotel

At least 20 ballot boxes have been found abandoned in a hotel conference hall in Kisii town.

The boxes, discovered on Thursday morning, were in one corner of the room.

Reports of the ballot boxes were circulated on social media.

When the Nation team arrived at the hotel, some boxes had some unmarked pieces of paper. Other boxes were labelled Governor, Member of Parliament, Ward Rep and Woman Rep.

Mr Richard Omari, the Dans Hotel Manager told the Nation the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had hired the hall a few days to the August 8 elections to conduct a training.

TRAINING

He said the boxes had been discovered by its staff, who went to prepare the conference hall for another group.

"The hall had been closed since it was last used by the IEBC. That is why the materials were found when the new clients came requesting for a room to conduct their seminar," Mr Omari told the Nation saying they notified IEBC.

An IEBC official however downplayed the incident saying the material had been samples used by the Commission to train clerks and poll officials.

“These materials were left here during the training which was conducted between July 25 and 28 ,” said the official, who declined to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the media.

IEBC Kisii County Returning officer, Dr Sydney Namlungu was not immediately available for comment but County Police Commander Hassan Abdi said he has not been notified of the incident.

“I am yet to receive any information on such an issue,” Mr Abdi said.