Nasa rallies supporters against IEBC jobs

Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati (left) and Suba South MP John Mbadi lead Nasa supporters in anti-IEBC demonstrations in Nairobi on October 16, 2017. Mr Mbadi wants Kenyans to boycott the presidential election. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Workshops organised to train election officials in Nyanza were roundly disrupted by mobs.
  • Mr Mbadi said there will be no election on October 26 and told Nasa supporters to keep off.

Opposition coalition Nasa is discouraging residents in its strongholds from taking up jobs as election officials as part of its campaign against the October 26 repeat polls.

Its supporters are also being urged to stay at home on election day, when the opposition has planned to hold demonstrations across the country to demand credible polls.

ODM party chairman John Mbadi and Suna East MP Junet Mohamed said they were telling their supporters not to be recruited by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission as presiding officers, deputies and clerks.

“We are telling our people that when IEBC comes to recruit you as presiding officers or clerks, do not take up the jobs. They are part of the 'No Elections' brigade. There might be no staff to conduct elections,” Mr Junet said.

POLL TRAINING
On Tuesday, workshops organised to train election officials in Nyanza were roundly disrupted by mobs, jeopardising plans for the polls.

Mr Mbadi said there will be no election on October 26 and told Nasa supporters to keep off.

“Our people should stay away. Whether as voters, election officials or suppliers of any service to the IEBC,” Mr Mbadi said.

The party’s director of political affairs, Mr Opiyo Wandayi, added: “We are appealing to our supporters wherever they are to dissociate themselves completely from IEBC process and decline appointments as officers of IEBC in various stations.”

SECURITY
The comments followed disruption of IEBC training sessions in Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay and Migori counties, where officials were forced to postpone or cancel workshops altogether.

In Siaya, training was suspended in four constituencies after rowdy youth attacked the stations where the officers were undergoing their first day of coaching.

They included Gem, Bondo, Ugunja and Rarieda.

Siaya County Returning Officer Ruth Kulundu said Alego Usonga and Ugenya constituencies went ahead with training, but under tight security.

“We were forced to suspend the training of presiding officers and their deputies in four constituencies after locals interrupted the sessions, forcing us to send away the participants,” Mrs Kulundu said.

RAIDS
In Bondo, more than 250 people who had convened at Sironyo Academy on the outskirts of the town were roughed up by angry youth, forcing them to run for their lives.

Bondo constituency Returning Officer John Matekhwa said a crowd of youth ambushed them when the officers had started reporting for training.

In Homa Bay, training of presiding officers and their deputies in Homa Bay Town constituency was postponed indefinitely after a crowd raided the training centre.

The youth attacked those gathered at Kabunde social hall with stones.

This forced IEBC officials who were conducting the exercise to suspend it.

POLICE
Homa Bay deputy County Commissioner Chuck Masua said the training will be held at a later date.

In Kisumu, police rescued IEBC officials who were gathering for training at Awasi in Muhoroni constituency after rowdy youth attacked them, accusing IEBC officials of secrecy.

It took the intervention of local security and the police Quick Response Team from Kisumu to move the more than 500 presiding and deputy presiding officers to the Nyando sub-county office.

NASA DEMANDS
The recruits from Kisumu Central and Muhoroni constituencies were attending training at Multi-Cultural Christian Youth Centre in Awasi ahead of the repeat elections.

Kisumu Central Returning Officer John Ngutahi, however, pointed out that there was no sinister move in conducting the training at the venue.

“We could not get space in Kisumu due to the large number of people involved and the fact that most of the institutions are on session,” he said.

Mr Ngutahi said the four-day training was supposed to take place ahead of the one for clerks later in the week.

ROWDY CROWD

Awasi/Onjiko MCA Otieno Ngeta reiterated that training of temporary IEBC officials in the area would not go on until Nasa poll demands are met.

“I want to thank the residents for standing with our leader Raila Odinga and pushing for reforms in the electoral commission,” he said.

In Migori, a contingent of police officers was deployed at Simba Hotel where the training was taking place.

Protesting Nasa supporters who had converged at the hotel were dispersed and training went on under police guard.

Reports by Justus Ochieng, Victor Raballa, Nelcon Odhiambo, Barack Oduor and Elisha Otieno.