IEBC Discovers Irregular Transfer of Voters

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has opened an investigation into cases of irregular transfer of voters ahead of the August 9th general elections.

Citizen TV reports that the electoral commission detected some transfer of voters in its electronic register which were allegedly effected without the required statutory forms.

IEBC CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan in an internal memo dated May 25th and addressed to county elections managers and senior election officers indicated that the irregular transfers were detected in the commission’s preliminary review of the register. 

The commission directed the election officers to treat the matter as extremely urgent and immediately reverse all transfers that were not supported by any documentation.

Speaking during a media briefing on Monday, IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati did not disclose the numbers or regions affected by the irregular transfer and instead urged Kenyans to take advantage of the ongoing verification exercise to confirm their details and report any anomalies.

“Transfers happen when a voter requests and there is a form to fill which then the registration officer has to update the register, if there are unauthorized cases where one finds themselves in a place they don’t want the commission investigates…,” said Chebukati.

“…Cases of transfers without one's knowledge shall be investigated and the commission has called for all transfer forms if there are such cases they will be returned back and if an officer was involved in the illegal transfer stern action will be taken, the commission will not tolerate that…”