Kenya’s electoral commission, Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission is grappling with temporary staff shortage in opposition strongholds.
This follows Raila Odinga’s withdrawal from the race on Tuesday last week. He said there will be no polls on October 26.
And IEBC clerks together with presiding officers and their deputies have cited security concerns and did not turn up for training in the last week.
Politicians in opposition strongholds have vowed to scuttle the elections should they be held.
Western and Nyanza are the most affected areas. Yesterday, (Saturday) IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati and Commissioner Dr Roselyn Akombe toured the two regions in a bid to cushion the situation.
However, with just 10 days to the polls, the commission has not and will not publicly come clean about the fresh headache.
In Nyanza, Migori, Siaya, Homa Bay and Kisumu are worst hit while in Western, Busia, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma and Trans Nzoia are grappling with the same.
Chebulati told Daily Nation that there are plans to provide more security to such areas.
He added: “Commissioner Akombe will give us a situational report on Monday (tomorrow).”
On her part, Akombe acknowledged they are facing security challenges but all will be well in due course.
“I would be lying if I said everything is in order. The truth is a lot needs to be done to guarantee the safety of all our staff across the country,” said the commissioner.
“We hopefully shall have had some guidance on how to move forward. We shall definitely have different security measures or arrangements in this part of the country to allow the voters to be able to express their will.”
Some returning officers have expressed fears over their lives.
They say residents in areas where they live have threatened to even burn their homes should they not heed to Raila’s poll boycott call.
“The risk is not worth whatever offer the commission would be making,” said a teacher who was a presiding officer at a Kisumu polling centre as further quoted by Daily Nation.