NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 23- The cold war between the National Police Service and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) continued for a second day after three ICT officials were arrested and later released on condition.
The two institutions are critical in the delivery of a credible election.
The officials, IEBC said, are employees of Smartmatic International B.V, the firm contracted to, “supply, delivery, installation, testing, commissioning, support and maintenance of the Kenya Integrated Election Management System.”
This comes a few days to the August 9 General Election, with political analysts saying it is contributing to rising tensions across the country.
It has now emerged that police are still confiscating mobile phones, flash disks, laptops, and all other electronic devices that were in the custody of the three officials- who were arrested on arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Thursday.
“The said personnel were, which electronic items contain important and sensitive information related to the forthcoming elections as well as projects undertaken by them for other countries,” IEBC chairperson Wafula Chebukati said in a statement.
“The said personnel were compelled to give passwords to the confiscated phones and gadgets, resulting in a violation of their right to privacy.”
Immigration officials say the three arrived in the country from Venezuela.
Chebukati said the electoral body was disturbed by the incident, “and demands cessation of harassment of personnel of legitimately contracted service providers and calls for the immediate release of all confiscated items.”
Earlier Friday, National Police Spokesperson Bruno Shioso in a statement talked of one Venezuelan national and said he had been released.
Shioso also said that election stickers found with him were also handed over to the IEBC.
Chebukati however said the release was conditional since all the three officials have to appear before the police “on July 26, which inevitably affects the performance of their duties.”
Even with this, Chebukati said the Commission, “remains committed to delivering a free, fair and credible 2022 General Election that meets the democratic aspirations of the people of Kenya.”
Politicians affiliated with Kenya Kwanza presidential candidate William Ruto have decried what they term as harassment of the IEBC officials.
They have accused the government of being behind the current push and pull between police and IEBC.
“This statement raises a most grave and fundamental concern, on sinister efforts by the Government of President Uhuru Kenyatta, and its Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Project, to subvert the 2022 General Elections, now only 18 days away,” Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi said on Friday.
According to them the timing of the arrest of the three officials from Smartmatic International B.V at the airport was not a security protocol comparing it to the 2017 murder of ICT official Chris Msando.
“They now want to go the Msando way, through forcing out of ICT officials information that should enable them to beat computer firewalls. We must call them out for this. The elections must not be tampered with. The Azimio Project must be defeated as it will be defeated,” Mudavadi noted.
He wondered, “Is President Uhuru Kenyatta happy that he is managing his Azimio Project democratically, through arbitrary arrests, harassment and intimidation of elections officials? How much faith should Kenyans have in their departing president’s commitment to a democratic poll, and to a smooth transition?”
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