IEBC officials during a past voter registration exercise in Kwale. [Photo/ the-star.co.ke]
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has failed to recruit the required number of officials to manage the August general election in Lamu.
IEBC officials in the county said the electoral agency is facing challenges especially in Basuba and Kiunga wards in Lamu East and Hindi’s Bargoni area in Lamu West.With less than three weeks to the election, the officials said they still have 50 vacant positions to fill. They said they still need to hire clerks, presiding officers and deputy presiding officers.Lamu East returning officer Japheth Omar said many of those who had earlier applied for the jobs did not turn up for interviews.He said Basuba ward was the worst affected as nobody was willing to work for the IEBC, adding that the commission needs 30 clerks in the ward.“When we advertised the position earlier on, the response was overwhelming but I believe no one turned up for interviews due to the wave of insecurity," he said.He said his office also faced challenges reaching out to communities in the terror-stricken region to create awareness on the election process.Lamu West returning officer Abdalla Mwaruwa on his part said: “We have recruited staff in areas other than Bargoni. We have a shortage of about 10. We have less than three or four days to fill positions and are really trying. No one wants to work there."Lamu has 69,776 registered voters and 167 polling stations.