Polls body to investigate Kalonzo Musyoka's ID confusion
Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) CEO Ezra Chiloba (center) addresses a press conference at IEBC offices on January 18, 2017. An ID mix-up involving Kalonzo Musyoka has been resolved. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mr Limo called on voters to turn up to inspect the voter registers which will be done after the registration is complete.
- The IEBC said that Salome Njoroge has corrected her records.
An investigation has been launched to establish how Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s identity card was used to register another voter, even as the matter has been resolved.
The electoral commission regretted the mix-up while it announced the suspension of the voter verification through SMS.
The commission said it had contacted the National Registration Bureau on potential ID duplicate.
“It is worth noting that there are several cases of shared ID numbers in the register of voters’ database. In most cases, this could be because of data entry errors at the point of registration or genuine sharing of ID numbers,” Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) communications manager Andrew Limo said.
Mr Musyoka discovered on Wednesday he shared an ID number with 23-year-old Salome Njoroge.
"We wish to assure the public that since voters are identified using biometric features on voting day, no legitimately registered voters can be disenfranchised.
"In addition, anyone whose ID details are inconsistent with the details captured in the biometric system is never allowed to vote," he said.
He called on voters to turn up to inspect the voter registers which will be done after the registration is complete.
Mr Musyoka expressed shock after learning his ID card had been used to register another voter, warning that the commission must get serious and deliver a clean register.
Fortunately, the IEBC said today evening that Salome Njoroge has corrected her records.
The Wiper leader and Ford-Kenya’s Moses Wetang’ula had led a delegation of Cord leaders on a tour of Wajir County to inspect the exercise and rally residents to register.
The visit to Wagberi was prompted by earlier complaints that the biometric voter registration kits in Wajir were not functioning properly.
Mr Musyoka said the revelation was clear evidence of a wider scheme to rig the August election in favour of Jubilee and vowed to fiercely resist such attempts.
Speaking at the same venue, Mr Wetang’ula said elections are not stolen in a day. “Rigging is a process and this is it,” he said.
