On Wednesday, July 6, Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party presidential candidate Raila Odinga sensationally claimed that DP William Ruto was conspiring with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to compromise the credibility of the elections.
Raila alleged that the electoral agency’s chairman Wafula Chebukati was working in cahoots with the Kenya Kwanza side to print two million extra presidential ballot papers to be staffed at some 10,000 polling stations.
Raila who will be giving his presumed last attempt at the presidency further alleged that the Kenya kwanza was planning to mark the extra presidential papers in favour of his rival Ruto and ship them into the country through the country’s porous borders.
However, speaking at a press briefing in Nairobi, IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati dismissed the assertions that the commission had been infiltrated by external forces keen on influencing the outcome of the presidential election.
Chebukati said that the commission had prepared for the upcoming election more than ever before.
“We are committed to a transparent process and we will address any issue that may arise. I want Kenyans not to fear about this election,” Chebukati declared.
He said that all presidential ballot papers will be serialized and that they will be the last ones to be printed.
The chairman said that each ballot paper will be printed for a specific polling station and will come through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
Chebukati said the commission is expecting 132,722,748 ballot papers from Greek firm Inform Lykos, and no extra papers will be printed.
“All ballot papers are serialized. We are printing ballot papers, which is the number of registered voters. And then we will print the exact same number for the six elective seats,
“There is nothing like extra ballot papers being printed. We usually do not have 100 percent voter turnout. So, we will not have any extra papers,” Chebukati explained.
