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IEBC bashed on Facebook over Homa Bay mini-polls officials


The infamous chicken scandal returned to haunt the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on Wednesday evening as a section of Kenyans locked horns with the commission on its Facebook page.

IEBC had posted an announcement that it would employ poll officials for the February 12 Homa Bay County senatorial by-election from the list of those who worked for it in the 2013 General Election.

This angered several of its followers among them Mr Daniel Juma who claimed that IEBC’s decision was “very unfair”.

IEBC aptly replied to Mr Juma’s claims, saying  the commission’s decision was because it wanted to tap on experience from those who had worked for it in the past, a response that however angered more Kenyans on Facebook.

UNGRATEFUL

Mr Isaac Kipkoech said it was good to diversify employment to enable other Kenyans get the job offered by Kenya’s electoral body.

But IEBC replied, “Sure. Not all who worked for us in 2013 are readily available. So there can be some chance here and there.”

It is at this point that Mr Kipkoech asked Kenyans to keep off the commission alleging that it was ungrateful.

He posted: “Si mnajaribu! Ningekuwa nyinyi ningewachana na hawa watu hawana shukrani kabisa! (Indeed you are trying. If I were you I would not bother myself with this commission because they are not grateful)”.

While referring to the infamous chicken scandal, another Facebook user, Izzoh Wambuch, laughed off the commission saying he doubted IEBC’s commitment to employ and pay people timely after the by election.

CHICKEN SCANDAL

He posted: “After the #ChickenScandal I don’t trust you people. . .” and further claimed, “You even know the winner in this by election (Homa Bay).”

The sober IEBC asked through another post: “Why do people think the chicken damns IEBC? What happened with the good old law, ‘Innocent until proven guilty’? Why not wait for the process of investigations to be concluded before condemning?”

Izzoh Wambuch posted in reply: “Directors of the company you had contracted are in jail …. it’s enough proof that #ChickenScandal indeed existed.”

But the IEBC defended itself in a post replying to Wambuch saying: “Let us wait. Chicken will come when it’s time comes. No one has been condemned by a court of law. The truth will come out. Let’s not blame blindly.”

The conversation that started on Wednesday at 5:40pm and was on-going by Thursday noon.