Matiang’i Declares Monday A Public Holiday In Areas Where Polls Were Postponed

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug, 26 – Monday, August 29, 2022, has been declared a public holiday in areas where polls were postponed by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) due to errors on the ballot papers.

In a gazette notice, Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i said that the public holiday would only be in the affected areas including Mombasa and Kakamega county.

Other affected areas where polls were not conducted include, MP races in Kacheliba Constituency Pokot South Constituency ,Kitui Rural Constituency and Rongai Constituency.

Other areas include Member of County Assembly Ward in Nyaki West in North Imenti Constituency and Kwa Njenga in Embakasi South Constituency

As such, employers in the affected area have been directed to release their employees who are registered voters to participate in the elections.

“In accordance with the Constitution of Kenya (Articles 101 (1), 177 (1) (a) and 180 (1) and the Public Holidays Act (Sections 2(4) and 3), Monday,  August 29, 2022, has been declared a public holiday in the listed electoral areas, the Gazette Notice states,” read a section of the gazette notice.

IEBC chairperson Wafula Chebukati said that the commission is ready to conduct elections in the affected areas.

“Today we met candidates for the various elective areas where we postponed election, these elections were supposed to be held on August 9, 2022. We have had a good meeting with the candidates and together with the team from IEBC and we have agreed that we shall hold the postponed election from August 29, 2022,” he said.

Poll officials in the affected areas have already prepared the ballot materials, while also being in the process of preparing the KIEMS kits.

“And the Returning Officers have also attended the meeting and will prepare the staff who will participate in those elections. We have also allowed the candidates to do campaigns for the next four days and stop 48 hours before the election date,”

IEBC is now set to draft a letter to the Ministry of Education to avail schools that will host the polls in the affected areas.

“Generally all the issues affecting those candidates have been discussed and resolved. We urge them to campaign peacefully and urge Kenyans to turn up in late numbers to vote for the candidates of their choice,”

“The commission regrets the inconveniences caused this was due to unavoidable circumstances which have been explained to the candidates and they appreciate the candidate where the commission was,” said Chebukati.