IEBC commissioners call for speed in probing death of Embakasi East returning officer

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has urged the National Police Service (NPS) to fast track its inquest into the disappearance and eventual death of Embakasi East Returning Officer Daniel Musyoka, whose body was found dumped in Loitoktok, Kajiado County on August 15, 2022.

In a statement signed by IEBC Vice Chair Juliana Cherera and three other commissioners dated August 19, the electoral body, while condemning the incident and sending condolences to the deceased's family, urged security forces to bring Musyoka's killers to book.

"We urge the state security institutions to swiftly expedite investigations into Mr. Musyoka's death and bring to justice the perpetrators of this unspeakable and heinous crime," the statement read in part.

The statement was signed by the four commissioners, without commission chairperson, Wafula Chebukati, as they are at loggerheads over the presidential elections vote tallying.

According to Cherera and the three commissioners, it is baffling how two IEBC officials have lost their lives under mysterious circumstances in Kenya's last two elections, a statement that referenced the 2017 death of IEBC IT manager Chris Msando whose body was found in Kikuyu, on the outskirts of Nairobi in July 2017.

A postmortem conducted on Msando later revealed that he was tortured before he was strangled to death. His body was found alongside that of 21-year-old Carol Ngumbu at Muguga Forest in Kikuyu.

The four officials are adamant that IEBC officials should be allowed to carry out their mandate without having to worry about their safety.

"We condemn in all strongest forms all crimes committed against our employees in the performance of their duties," said the four.

As it stands, police investigating Musyoka's death are currently pursuing an unidentified lady seen in conversation with him the last time he was seen out in public prior to his brutal murder.