Detectives seek 21 days to hold Mandera IEBC officers

Detectives in Mandera have moved to court to seek a 21-day custodial order to enable them complete investigations against three IEBC clerks over irregular voter transfers.

The three, Hassan Hussein Issack, Hafsa Hussein Hassan and Habiba Adan Kerrow are suspected of being involved in a massive voter irregularity earlier in the year.

The respondents, according to Samuel Langat, a DCI officer, were arrested on June 12 at Rhamu town in Mandera North constituency following directives from Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chief officer.

“We are seeking 21 days to conduct investigations following numerous complaints from different organs and individuals on massive voter irregularities during mass voter registration conducted between January 16, and February 15,” said Mr Langat in a sworn affidavit.

The officer indicated that the suspects, while working as IEBC clerks, filled transfer forms (form D) for voters without the knowledge of applicants.

ESCAPE INTEGRITY

“We believe the respondents are working with a group of politicians in the constituency with an aim of denying voters their democratic rights and consequently election rigging during the coming General Election,” stated Mr Langat.

He said the three worked with their seniors to elude integrity and transparency in the August 8 polls.

In his address during the Jamhuri Day celebrations on June 1, Mandera Governor Ali Roba complained of massive illegal voter transfer in Mandera North Constituency.

“We want investigations into voter irregularities in Mandera North Constituency where people were transferred in and out of that constituency without their knowledge,” he said.

Mr Langat told the court that the Garre Council of Elders wrote to IEBC on February 19, complaining of irregular voter transfers from Mandera North Constituency.

CLAN CLASHES

“Ogolla Otieno Advocates acting for Mandera North residents also wrote to IEBC on May 16, demanding that the constituency Administration assistant and the Regional ICT officer be transferred immediately,” said Mr Langat.

The officer told the court that the IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba wrote to DCI on May 22 and commissioned investigations into the allegations.

Mandera North Constituency has always been a political battlefield between the Garre and Degodia clans resulting to clan clashes and the recent development is about raising the figures for the August 8 elections for either clan.