A voter gets her documents verified through IEBC electronic kit during voting exercise on August 8. [Photo: the-star.co.ke]The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has begun a major crackdown targeting election officials believed to have largely contributed to the problems that led to the nullification of August 8 presidential poll.Five returning officers have been shown the door while 14 others will be issued with a final warning over failures in the August 8 elections.Sources from within the IEBC, the Nation reports, said the five who have been interdicted would be replaced with experienced staff from the headquarters and who have previously worked as returning officers or similar positions. Twenty-nine other officers have been given verbal warnings.Among those believed to have been interdicted is the Embakasi South deputy returning officer who was accused of breaking seals and opening ballot boxes to retrieve Forms 34A without a court order. Seven returning officers have been reshuffled.Besides the returning officers and their deputies, 200 presiding officers whose declaration forms had errors will be thrown out.The shake-up comes just as IEBC is scheduled to start joint training of 600 returning officers, deputy returning officers and ICT officers on Thursday at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi.IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba has confirmed this saying the commission had reviewed the electoral process and where there were gaps, officials concerned were invited to provide an explanation."Out of that review, a report has been prepared and debated but I cannot comment on the contents because of confidentiality," said Chiloba when reached by the Nation on Wednesday night.Returning officers are some of the most critical people in the election chain because they recruit, train and supervise staff who conduct polls in their constituencies.

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