Karua says agents were blocked from poll stations

Jubilee Party and strangers were allowed in Kirinyaga polling stations in the cover of darkness, Narc-Kenya party leader Martha Karua told the High Court.

While testifying during hearing of a petition against the election of Governor Anne Waiguru, Ms Karua told the court her agents were barred from accessing polling stations by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials yet Jubilee’s were let in during unofficial hours, 4am and 6am.

While seeking to convince the High Court in Kerugoya that Ms Waiguru was not validly elected, the former Minister cited the use of unauthorised people in polling centres, forgery of electoral documents and cheating among the vices witnessed.

“At Kimunye tea buying centre polling station, the IEBC’s presiding officer misled the voters. My agents were not present in many stations at the crucial hour of opening,” she testified.

BALLOT BOXES
The court heard that Jubilee agents reported to the stations at 5.30am and were allowed in while hers were denied access for one or two hours.

“My agents did not witness closure of the boxes and affirmation of seals. In Mwea constituency, the agents were barred in 61 stations and they are not aware of what happened before commencement of the election,” she told the court.

She added that an IEBC officer named Ann Murigi has confessed through affidavit that she returned lost seals of ballot boxes.

“The county returning officer Seki Lempaka in his affidavit indicates the total number of stations is 661 and in some instances 659,” she said, adding “The valid votes and votes cast is similar even when there are rejected votes. The information is in form 37C.”