Four Independent and Electoral and Boundaries Commons (IEBC) officers who were found in the home of a former MCA in Homabay have been suspended.
The suspects include a presiding officer, two deputy presiding officers and a clerk.
Homa Bay County IEBC returning officer Fredrick Apopa showed the four officials the dorr over committing an electoral offence.
“You cannot be in a meeting with politicians when the law requires you to be neutral,” he said.
According to Mr. Apopa, the officials allegedly met with a parliamentary candidate and an MCA.
It was then that Kanyikela villagers interrupted the meeting and arrested the accused asserting that they were plotting to rig Tuesday’s polls.
Detectives are looking into the claims and would take the appropriate steps if it is discovered that the suspects have engaged in electoral fraud.
The locals who took the suspects to the Ndhiwa Police Station are among those who will be questioned.
“The outcome of the investigation will determine whether they will be charged. It will be up to police and the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to take legal action against them,” the IEBC official said.
The meeting was held in Riat, Kanyikela ward, Ndiwa constituency.
Other IEBC officials attending the meeting escaped when they saw the throng advancing on the residence.
The four are set to be replaced by the end of the day.
Ndhiwa parliamentary candidate in the August polls, Michael Agwanda, urged the Wafula Chebukati-led panel to properly probe the officials and take disciplinary action against them.
“I was tipped that the IEBC officials were striking a deal with the candidates to ensure that ballot papers are marked and stuffed into ballot boxes in their favour on the election day,” Agwanda told the Nation.
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