Presiding officer arrested in Bomet, pre-marked ballot papers confiscated

A presiding officer has been arrested in Bomet County and pre-marked ballot papers confiscated in the ongoing Jubilee primaries.

Matarmat polling station presiding officer has been locked up at Bomet police station as investigation over the intention of stuffing of ballot boxes with pre-marked papers.

Agents raised alarm while inspecting ballot boxes before the polling station opened to allow voters to cast their votes.

Some of the papers were randomly marked for several candidates from Governorship to the Member of County Assembly race.

Agents who discovered the irregularity said the marked papers are believed to be the ones that were to be used last Friday during the aborted nomination exercise.

Today’s ballot papers are printed in a different colour from the one that was to be used.

Voting has however resumed and residents are casting their ballot.

However, voting in Kapletundo Ward has been stopped following missing names of MCA aspirants in the ballot paper.

Only six aspirants appear in the ballot despite 15 registering to take part in the exercise.

The returning officer was forced to call off the ward representative contest and allow voting for other posts to continue.