Wajir gubernatorial poll materials to be examined

Former Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi Mohamed who is challenging the election of Governor Mohamed Abdi Muhamud. PHOTO | DIANA NGILA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

A court has directed the scrutiny of electoral materials used at 150 polling stations in Wajir County to establish the validity of Governor Mohamed Abdi Muhamud’s victory.

Justice Alfred Mabeya allowed a request by the petitioner, Mr Ahmed Abdullahi, who is the former governor, to have all the materials used during the August 8 elections for the county examined.

“I hereby allow the scrutiny of all the balloting materials used in the Wajir County governor’s election,” Justice Mabeya ruled.

He said lawyers Omwanza Ombati and David Jesse for Mr Abdullahi had laid a firm basis requiring the court to scrutinise all the materials used during the poll.

Mr Ombati said there was no voting in most parts of the county.

“There was blatant violation of election rules by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission officials conducting the poll in the northern frontier county,” Mr Ombati told the judge.

The judge heard that a deputy returning officer from Wajir East constituency disappeared with three Kenya Integrated Election Management System kits that were used to post fake poll results.