Azimio concerned over IEBC printing extra Form 34As

The Azimio La Umoja party now demands a green light from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) towards their claims that the Inform Lykos S.A company assigned the ballot printing tender, and printed extra form 34As.

According to NTV, a letter addressed to IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati on Wednesday, July 27, by the head of legal affairs in Raila Odinga’s campaign secretariat, Paul Mwangi, raised concerns over the printing of the different forms 34A and 34B.

“Our team revealed that there were two books of form 34A which were titled as books one and two and book two of two,” reads part of the statement.

Regarding Mwangi’s statement, the two Azimio representatives sought clarification from IEBC Commissioners representing the Election Commission during the visit.

However, the explanation was that extra form 34As were needed in each polling station because there was a need to give copies to election observers, media, and other stakeholders.

Further, Mwangi noted that the Commission did not give an order to the printer for form 34Bs since they began printing papers.

According to Mwangi, their representatives were told that form 34B was unnecessary and that it would generate itself when the results of form 34A were entered.

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Moreover, Mwangi says Form 34B is always printed with similar security features as Form 34A and the rest of the election materials.

“There is, therefore, no room for the Commission to exercise any discretion in this matter. The Commission must print Form 34Bs on the same footing as it has printed Form 34As,” reads part of the statement.

Meanwhile, the first batch of presidential ballot papers arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International airport on Wednesday morning, July 26, together with observers.

A joint statement from the chairman of the Inter-religion Council of Kenya, Rev. Father Joseph Mutie, captured what the observers witnessed, giving the process a clean bill of health.

“The monitoring delegation inspected the security features imprinted on the ballot papers and witnessed the printing and packaging of the ballot papers into booklets, boxes, and pallets and labelled them ready for shipment.”

“They also verified the security features on the statutory documents printed and that were accompanying the ballots to the polling stations,” he said.

DP William Ruto and Raila Odinga each sent two representatives, alongside other stakeholders, to supervise the printing of election materials for the presidential election.

Raila dispatched attorney Velma Maumo and former journalist Ben Agina, but Kenya Kwanza withheld the identities of the two agents who accompanied the IEBC officials.