IEBC resumes vote counting in Juja after night of chaos
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has restarted tallying of votes for Juja by-election after over five hours of suspension following eruption of chaos on Tuesday night.
The electoral body had in a statement blamed Kiambu Governor James Nyoro and a group of other people for disrupting the process.
"At around 10:20pm tonight there was disruption of the tallying process at Mang’u High School Tallying center in Juja Constituency by a group of individuals led by the Kiambu County Governor Mr. James Nyoro," read part of the IEBC's statement.
Three men are reported to have stormed the center at Mang'u High school and caused a commotion raising concerns from parties involved before heavily armed police intervened and whisked the three away.
However, the commotion intensified between Jubilee candidate Susan Njeri's supporters led by Nyoro, Kiambu Woman Representative Gathoni Wamuchomba and PEP candidate George Koimburi's suppoerters led by Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, Murang'a Senator Irungu Kang'ata and Witeithie Ward MCA Julius Macharia.
After a whole night stalemate, the electoral body's chairman Wafula Chebukati arrived at the centre by 6:am Wednesday to address the confusion.
In his statement, Chebukati revealed that the electoral agency will launch investigations pertaining to the alleged interference of the process assuring that the culprits will be brought to book.
The chairman ordered that votes tallying resume saying that the returning officer has all the requisite materials to finish the process.
"We shall write to the DPP to prosecute anyone found to have been involved in the mayhem. We shall be making further statements in the course of the week but meanwhile we have agreed to continue with tallying," he said.
He revealed that the Kims kits involved in the process records all the number of voters and introduction of foreign materials in the process is almost impossible.
"Anybody who wants to introduce foreign materials in the process, I want to assure you that it's a waste of time," he said.
The commission, he said is committed to ensure that the will of Juja people is respected.
Returning officer Justus Mbithi said that having resumed tallying, Juja residents should know their next member of parliament by 2pm Wednesday.
By the time of going to press, official tallying process had started.
