Evelyn Kwamboka
28 December 2007
Nairobi — Voting at Ndurarua Primary was disrupted for 15 minutes when an assistant minister accused the deputy presiding officer of malpractice.
Former Dagoretti MP, Mrs Beth Mugo, claimed the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) officers were on a go-slow.
She took issue with Ms Jane Wati, saying the officer was taking advantage of illiteracy, and was not assisting voters.
"She has refused to show agents what she is marking for voters who cannot read or write. This is rigging and I am not going to accept it," Mugo said.
Voting at the station's room number four was stopped for 15 minutes as Mugo sought answers from the ECK officer.
"There is a go-slow in Dagoretti and you people are frustrating President Kibaki's vote," she told the officer.
ECK deputy presiding officers are expected to show agents what they have marked on any ballot paper before casting it.
"We are not going to sit and watch as you rig us out under our nose," she said.
Mugo, who was accompanied by her husband and relatives, also took issue with ECK chairman, Mr Samuel Kivuitu, saying the new voting system was faulty.
She said the system of voters being required to vote in alphabetical order was not communicated during and before campaigns.
"I am worried about the presidential and my own vote because people are going back home without casting their votes," she said.
The former Dagoretti MP said the new system was also not communicated to ECK presiding officers and their clerks until two days ago.
"With the kind of experience Kivuitu has, Kenyans expected a better job," she said.
At the station, voters started queuing as early as 4am but only a few had voted by midday.
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