IEBC claims Wajir governor election on August 8 was free, fair and credible. [Photo|chronicle.co.zw]
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) told the court that the election for Wajir governor was free, fair, and credible.
Wajir Returning Officer Patrick Gatumba was testifying in a petition challenging the election of Governor Mohamed Mahamud.
Gatumba, in his testimony dismissed the petitioner's claims that he used wrong statutory forms to conduct the poll.
Former Governor Ahmed Abdullahi, and another petitioner Muhumed Abdi had moved to court seeking orders to declare the elections invalid, null and void.
Through lawyer Omwanza Ombati, the petitioners argued that one of the forms used to declare the Wajir results was a presidential results form (34A).
The court heard that one of the documents in the elections diary did not have a stamp but the same appeared to be signed in court documents and a video which was produced in court demonstrated how ballot boxes were opened in the absence of agents.
Gatumba told the court that he declared results based on the actual forms 37B's supplied by the returning officers and not the results displayed on the screen adding that some of the presiding officers did not sign or forgot to sign statutory forms because of fatigue.
Justice Alfred Mabeya had last week ordered IEBC and the returning officer of Wajir to supply forms 37As and the KIEMs kits for scrutiny.
The petitioners in their suit papers said that Mahamud was not validly cleared as a candidate since he did not have the required academic qualifications.
They want an order directing the IEBC to conduct a fresh poll claiming further that the governor or his people used violence in the August 8 polls.