A shocking eventuality has been witnessed after, Geoffrey Gitobu, an Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Returning Officer for the Gichugu constituency in Kirinyaga county died on Monday evening, August 22.
Based on preliminary reports, Gitobu collapsed outside IEBC offices in Nanyuki, Laikipia county, where he had gone to print some forms when the unfortunate happened.
Upon collapsing, it’s said the area Returning Officer, Gitobu was rushed to Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
His untimely death comes days after the death of Embakasi East Returning Officer, Daniel Mbolu Musyoka, who was found murdered in Kajiado county.
Even though the Embakasi East official’s death was determined in the autopsy to be murder, the cause of death for Mr. Gitobu has not yet been established.
According to the Laikipia County DCI boss, Onesmus Towett who dispelled reports that Gitobu was murdered, maintained that it was a sudden death and the cause would be revealed after an autopsy.
“We have received a report that an IEBC officer has been murdered in Nanyuki. That is not the position. The case was reported at around 2:38 pm, and it was the sudden death of someone who collapsed in town. He was rushed to the hospital, and it was there that he was confirmed dead,” Towett said.
Kirinyaga county Returning Officer, Jane Gitonga, explained that the deceased had been on a three-day off duty when he decided to visit his family in Nanyuki and was expected to report back to work on Wednesday, August 24.
Gitobu, as a returning officer, played a major role in the August 9 elections that were just completed as he manned the polling station with agents under him ensuring the free and fair conduction of the election.
