NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 9 – The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has formally invited Presidential candidates and their representatives to witness the ballot printing at Greek firm Inform Lykos on Friday and Saturday next week.
In the letter, the Commission’s chairman Wafula Chebukati stated that this is part of ensuring transparency and engagement with various stakeholders in the upcoming general elections.
“It was therefore agreed that the Commission invites not more than sixteen (16) people to visit the factory premises to witness the ballot printing process in two (2) teams of eight (8) people each on the 15th and 16th of July 2022,” the letter stated in part.
He urged the presidential candidates to send one representative each, two representatives from the election observers group, three representatives from the inter-religious council of Kenya, one representative from the Political Parties Liaison Committee.
There will also be one representative from the Kenya Union of Journalists, one representative from the Kenya Editors guild, one representative from the Media Council of Kenya and three members of IEBC.
Lykos has allowed a maximum of two visits which will be capped at 8 members per visit since the firm is a security printing firm.
The first batch of ballot papers were received at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) by the commission’s chair on Thursday amid claims of extra ballot papers being printed to aid rigging.
However, the electoral management body assured Kenyans that no extra ballot papers will be printed, and all will arrive in the country from JKIA and not other places like Uganda.
The commission urged representatives who will cater for their cost of travel and accommodation to Greece to submit their details to the commission to facilitate clearance from the Lykos as this trip will also provide clarification to matters relating to the printing of the ballot papers.
“Kindly but urgently, furnish the commission with name(s) and passport number of your representative for purposes of obtaining clearance to enter the factory. Due to resource constraints, the representatives are expected to meet their own cost of the trip including travel and accommodation,” stated Chebukati in the letter.
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