DPP Haji orders EACC to probe alleged transfer of voters by IEBC officials

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji has directed the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate recent claims of irregular and illegal transfer of voters in parts of Wajir and Garissa counties.

DPP Haji, in a letter to EACC boss Twalib Mbarak dated August 4, referred to a report from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) CEO Marjan Hussein pertaining to the alleged incidences.

According to Haji, the voters were transferred to Eldas Constituency in Wajir County and Balambala Constituency in Garissa County by five officials from the commission.

The officials have since been identified as; Adan Salah (former ICT Officer for Wajir now in Garissa), Issack Muhumed (from Returning Officer for Eldas now in Ijara), Abdullahi Musa Mohammed (from RO for Balambala now in Wajir North).

The others were Mohammed Maow Abdi (former Deputy RO for Balambala) and Ali Noor Hussein (RO for Balambala Constituency).

“The alleged registration and transfers of voters to Eldas Constituency in Wajir County and the Balambala Constituency in Garissa County by the aforementioned IEBC staff is contrary to Sections 3 and 6 of the Election Offences Act, 2016. 1,” the DPP said in a letter to EACC.

“Pursuant to Section 5(2) (b) of ODPP Act and Section 21 of the Elections Offences Act, I hereby request you to institute comprehensive investigations into the said allegations and thereafter submit the resultant investigation file for perusal and further directions.”

The letter comes weeks after Deputy President William Ruto had claimed that voters had been transferred from his strongholds; a move he termed as a ploy to rig the upcoming elections.