IEBC systems secure, Wafula Chebukati says
Electoral commission chairman Wafula Chebukati has said their systems and servers are secure following the killing of its ICT Manager Chris Msando.
Mr Chebukati said their system, servers and network are secure and no passwords have been compromised, adding that those who tortured Mr Msando would “not have obtained that information if that is what they were looking for.”
“We are working with service providers and no IEBC staff has passwords, they will be delivered at the right time,” he said.
CIVIL SOCIETY
Addressing members of civil society at Anniversary Towers on Tuesday, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission boss added that the agency will simulate the transmission of results on Wednesday.
The simulation was to be held Monday but was postponed following Mr Msando’s death.
“Chris was a team player, the team left behind will do the work, we don’t need experts from anywhere else to continue with exercise,” he said.
“We are mourning but we are working, we must deliver on August 8,” he added.
He said the commission has discussed with Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet the need to provide security for its staff.
He further said the agency had appointed a lawyer to ensure that no stone is left unturned in the ongoing investigations into their ICT manager’s death.
INTIMIDATED
Members of civil society, including John Githongo and George Kegoro, called for speedy investigations into the killing and urged Kenyans not to be intimidated but turn out in large numbers to vote on August 8.
Addressing the media after holding a peaceful march from Freedom Corner to the IEBC offices at Anniversary Towers, they added that circumstances under which the murder happened made it imperative that the security agencies expedited investigations.
“The perception is that Chris Msando has been killed in a manner that has something to do with his role at the IEBC,” said Mr Kegoro, the executive director of the Kenya Human Rights Commission.
Mr Githongo said the timing of the murder served to undermine Kenya’s election management body at its most crucial time alleging that there were plenty of reasons to believe that ‘the cruel selfish act was related to the election’.
CRUEL
“While it is true that there is so much that is unknown pending investigations, there is plenty of reason to believe that this cruel selfish act is related to the election,” said Mr Githongo.
At the same time, Mr Kegoro asked the state to take necessary measures to secure the safety of IEBC commissioners and all its staff.
In Mombasa, Haki Africa, a non-governmental organisation has urged the government to accept the offer by US and Britain to help unmask Mr Msando’s killers.
Mr Hussein Khalid, the organisation’s executive director said the foreign investigators should be invited to allow for impartial investigations.
INVESTIGATIONS
“We are appealing to the authorities to allow impartial investigation. This impartial investigation can only be assured if undertaken by neutral persons thus we are asking the government to accept the offer by UK and US Embassies to lead the investigations,” he said.
US ambassador Robert Godec and British High Commissioner Nic Hailey Monday condemned the killing and said they welcomed the government’s commitment to investigate the crime saying they have offered their assistance in the probe.
