Nairobi News

Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commissioner (IEBC) Roselyn Akombe says she is devastated after the body of the Embakasi East Returning Officer who was reported missing on Friday night was found in Kajiado.

Daniel Mbolu Musyoka body was on Monday in Kilombero forest, at the foot of Mt Kilimanjaro by herders.

Police officers from Loitoktok, Kajiado South sub-county were alerted over the presence of the body of a middle aged man in forest.

Akombe tweeted on Tuesday morning that she was, “Devastated that the missing IEBC Returning Officer has been found murdered in a forest.”

She said she remembers Mbolu as a diligent officer who dedicated his life to public service. “I send my deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. A public inquest into his death is urgent,” she added.

Akombe fled to New York and resigned in the run-up to the 2017 Presidential repeat election, saying she felt unsafe, and that the commission had no capacity to hold a credible election.

At the same time, Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) from the Forensic Unit in Embakasi, Nairobi have taken over the investigations.

On Tuesday, detectives from Forensic Unit arrived at Loitokitok Sub County hospital mortuary for preliminary investigations into his death.

The 53-year-old IEBC staffer went missing on August 11, after excusing himself to make a phone call at around 9.45am.

In a media briefing on Friday at the Bomas of Kenya, IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati said the elections official was last seen at the East African School of Aviation tallying centre where he had been escorted by his bodyguard.

Mr Musyoka has worked for the IEB) for 13 years.

He was posted to Loitoktok but was later transferred to Embakasi East in May.

By the time Mr Musyoka disappeared, he was about to declare the winners in the National Assembly and County Assembly contests.

Those who interacted with him said he excused himself to pick a call before he went missing. His deputy took over and announced the results.