Wiper agents ‘did not sign forms’, says IEBC official
Kitui County Governor Charity Ngilu leaves Milimani Court on January 10, 2018 after the hearing of a petition challenging her election. PHOTO | FRANCIS NDERITU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mr Nguma told the court that voting and tallying was done manually.
- The official added that all these activities having been done by a human being were prone to error.
- Wiper had, however, sent a list of names of agents, but who chose to represent other parties in the National Super Alliance.
A poll official on Wednesday testified that most Wiper Part agents in Kitui County did not append their signatures to the electoral forms during the August 8 General Election.
Mr Albert Nguma, the county returning officer, told the court that in more than 290 polling stations, the forms were signed by agents from other parties such as Narc and Maendeleo Chap Chap, but not Wiper.
He pointed out that only three polling stations had the forms signed by Wiper agents.
Wiper had, however, sent a list of names of agents, but who chose to represent other parties in the National Super Alliance.
Former Kitui Governor Julius Malombe has contested the outcome in the poll he lost to Ms Charity Ngilu. He defended the seat on a Wiper ticket while Ms Ngilu vied on a Narc ticket.
WIPER AGENTS
On Monday, Dr Malombe’s chief agent, Mr Bernard Kitheka, told Justice Pauline Nyamweya that most Wiper agents changed their loyalty.
Mr Nguma said it was true that he received complaints that some of the Wiper agents had been chased away from the polling station, but he later dismissed the allegations upon verification.
Cumulatively, in all the polling stations where no Wiper agent appended their signatures, the votes cast were 84,664, Mr Nguma told the court.
Mr Nguma, who was being cross-examined by Dr Malombe’s lawyer Apollo Muinde, also confirmed that 120 forms did not have IEBC stamps.
Ms Ngilu will take the witness stand on Thursday.
VOTES CAST
The forms lacking IEBC stamps were three in Mwingi North, four in Mwingi Central, 17 in Mwingi West, 27 in Kitui West and a similar number in Kitui Central, 24 in Kitui East, 14 in Kitui Rural and four in Kitui South.
He also admitted that in several polling stations, the number of votes cast exceeded the number of registered voters.
The witness further admitted that there were errors and alterations in some of the forms but they were insignificant. “It is true your honour that there were errors in some stations,” he said.
Dr Malombe challenged Ms Ngilu’s win claiming that his agents were kicked out of the polling stations and there was intimidation and bribery of voters.
The hearing continues today with Ms Ngilu expected to take the witness stand.
