Kenya poll body decries ‘unjust’ arrest of contractors

Kenya’s electoral body has expressed concern over the arrest and detention of three contractors involved in the deployment and management of election technology.

In a statement, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) said that employees of Smartmatic International BV were arrested at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in the capital, Nairobi, on arrival from Venezuela.

It termed their detention “without justification” as an “exhibition of intimidation on hardworking persons who are only keen to deliver a robust technology infrastructure”.

PRESS RELEASE; ARBITRARY ARREST AND HARASSMENT OF IEBC ELECTION TECHNOLOGY
PERSONNEL. #GE2022 pic.twitter.com/HB1HyckKFi

— IEBC (@IEBCKenya) July 21, 2022

The commission said it was surprised that this had happened despite notifying the security authorities that the three coming to the country lawfully.

IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati said the trio’s continued detention could affect preparations for the election as technology would play a key role in the 9 August polls. He demanded their immediate release.

Kenya police spokesman Bruno Shioso confirmed later in a statement that they had arrested a foreigner carrying election-related material.

He said the arrest was “necessitated by the sensitivity” of the materials.

The police also alleged that election stickers that were seized had not been declared “as per the law”, nor accompanied by an IEBC official.

Mr Shioso said the police released the detained person after subsequent investigations revealed that the materials belonged to IEBC and handed them to the commission.

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