The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) cancelled the results from an entire polling station in Isiolo South after a discrepancy between the votes cast and voter turnout.
Speaking to the media on Friday, February 27, the Returning Officer Abdi Sheikh explained that the total votes counted exceeded the number of people verified by the KIEMS kit by 100.
Consequently, all votes cast at Garbatulla Primary School during the parliamentary by-election were declared null and void.
“The results of a count of votes at a polling station exceeded the total number of voters who turned out to vote in that election.
“I, as the returning officer, hereby invalidate the results for this polling station,” Sheikh declared.
Efforts by the polling station’s Presiding Officer to explain the discrepancy were futile as election laws did not allow reopening of the ballot boxes.
“Regulation 83 (1) (c) of the Election General Regulations does not allow us to open the ballot box to confirm what the presiding officer was trying to explain to us,” the IEBC official explained.
The Kenya Integrated Elections Management System (KIEMS) kits are used in polling centres to verify voter details before they are issued ballot papers.
The KITS also tabulates the number of voters who turned out to vote, which should match the total votes cast when counting is done.
UDA candidate Mohamed Tubi won the Isiolo South Parliamentary elections after securing 7,352 votes. He beat his sister Bina Mohammed, who came in second with 634 votes.
The ruling party clinched all four seats up for grabs in the by-elections conducted on February 26: Isiolo South MP, Kabuchai MP, West Kabras MCA and Evurore MCA.
IEBC expressed gratitude to Kenyans for turning up to vote and commended its staff for their dedication, diligence, and professionalism in the planning and conduct of the by-elections.
