IEBC to Deploy Undercover Agents During 2022 General Elections

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has announced it will deploy spies in the next year’s general elections.

The commission says the undercover agents will be tasked with monitoring, identifying, and arresting those engaging in electoral malpractices during the voting exercise.

The announcement was made by IEBC Commissioner Boya Molu during a presentation at the national conference on the state of election preparedness for the 2022 elections.

The conference held at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi on Friday was organized by the Election Observer Group (Elog) to evaluate IEBC’s readiness ahead of the election.

Boya said IEBC will closely work with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to detect cases of electoral malpractices during the 2022 election.

"The DCI has seconded investigators to the commission under a program that seeks to enhance investigation and prosecution of breaches of security and election malpractices during the election period,” Molu disclosed.

Further, IEBC has developed a memorandum of understanding with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) establishing a collaborative framework to enforce the Election Offences Act.

“The basis of the collaboration is to find synergy between the commission staff and the ODPP in managing cases, including election materials as exhibits, during the hearing of election-related cases," said Boya.