NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 4 – The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on Thursday called upon authorities to apprehend former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa for slapping an election official in Matungu.
The Commission’s Chairperson Wafula Chebukati condemned the incident, saying there are better ways to resolve issues rather than engaging in physical confrontations.
Chebukati was speaking when he visited Hells Gate ward where a by-election is ongoing, to supervise the exercise.
“It is a very unfortunate incident and IEBC is calling on the security team the ground to apprehend the gentleman, because the staff are rendering a very important duty to the country and if he has any complain he should complain to the commission and not take law on his hands,” he said.
The former CS was captured on video slapping an IEBC official at Bulonga polling station in Matungu, after he accused the official named Peter Okura of barring a United Democtratic Alliance (UDA) agent to observe the voting process.
The front-runners in the Matungu by-election are Alex Lanya (UDA), David Were (ODM) and Peter Nabulindo (ANC).
Echesa is supporting the UDA candidate, a party associated with Deputy President William Ruto’s Hustler Nation movement.
