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2017 KENYA ELECTIONS

Second batch of presidential ballot papers expected Monday evening

According to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the consignment will arrive at 5pm at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA)/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 23 – The second batch of ballot papers that will be used during the repeat presidential poll is expected in the country Monday evening.

According to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the consignment will arrive at 5pm at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

Through its twitter account, the electoral body says this batch will be for 22 counties.” More ballot papers for 26th Oct poll arrive in Nairobi on Monday 23rd, 5pm. It is a consignment of 183 pallets and it is for 22 counties.”

The flight carrying the first batch of 16 tonnes of ballot papers arrived on Saturday at around 8pm with consignments for Turkana, Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, Tana River, Lamu, Garissa, Isiolo, Samburu, Laikipia counties and the Diaspora.

The electoral commission’s vice chairperson Consolata Nkatha assured that that the body is ready to carry out the election despite allegations of a divided team.

She dismissed claims of partisan interests levelled against a section of the commissioners by Roselyne Akombe—who quit last week citing frustrations and divisions at the commission.

Though the commission has made an extra three percent ballot papers – as compared to six percent in the August 8th elections – ballot papers beyond the registered voters for the provision of spoilt votes, Nkatha reiterated that there will be transparency in the handling of the extra papers so that they don’t end up being stuffed in the ballot boxes as has been alleged by some political players.

The ballot papers has names for all the eight presidential candidates who participated in the August 8 election whose results were nullified, after NASA leader Raila Odinga successfully petitioned the Supreme Court to challenge incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory.

The Supreme Court subsequently ordered a fresh election to be conducted within 60 days from September 1 when the verdict was issued, but Odinga has vowed to boycott the poll, having written a letter to the electoral commission which has said it will ignore the notification until he signs the requisite Form 24A.

Odinga pulled out of the election last week, denouncing the election commission for failing to make sufficient reforms to avoid the “irregularities” that led the first vote to be cancelled.

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