Claims of vote rigging have put the IEBC in a credibility crisis even as the election commission announced it is ready to deliver a free, fair, credible and verifiable polls.
The election is scheduled for August 9, less than five months away.
In the past four five weeks, high profile politicos, including Deputy President William Ruto, have claimed the authorities have planned to rig the presidential election.
Ruto, two weeks ago, told a democracy forum at United States Karson Institute for Race, Peace and Justice, that he was aware of plans to manipulate President Uhuru Kenyatta's succession to achieve a predetermined result.
He claimed democracy was on trial and that voters may not have a chance for a free choice.
“The biggest issue on the ballot is the democracy of our nation and whether we truly have the opportunity to make free choices devoid of blackmail, threats and intimidation. That is a matter that is on the ballot,” he said.
Earlier, Murang’a Woman Representative Sabina Chege caused a political storm when she claimed that vote rigging is possible in this year’s presidential election.
On Tuesday, Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria alleged he and others rigged the 2017 election in Uhuru's favour.
"There are others saying Mt Kenya votes will be split, Anne Waiguru, Rigathi Gachagua, Muthomi Njuki, Kimani Ichung’wa, Senator Mithika Linturi, Alice Wahome, Faith Gitau, Kimani wa Matangi...we are the ones who protected Uhuru's votes and we are the one who rigged for him votes," Kuria said.
He spoke at Kasarani during the UDA National Delegates Convention where Ruto was crowned the party's presidential candidate.
Asked to comment about the growing claims of rigging in 2017 and a possible repeat in August, IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati said the commission was not aware of any rigging.
"Even me, the commission would want to know what they are talking about," Chebuakti said.
"We want to know what they mean when they are saying we stole votes. And so we hope they will tell us what they mean."
He said the commission was already investigating Kuria over the Tuesday remarks.
"Of course we heard what he said but he has his rights to defend himself. So we need to collect the evidence before we summon him and that is what our investigation team is doing," Chebukati said about Kuria.
He was speaking at the Supreme Court shortly after CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan took oath of office in a ceremony that was presided over by Chief Justice Martha Koome yesterday.
Chebukati said IEBC was ready for the polls and that all procurement processes were already complete.
The commission will buy 14,000 more Kiems kits to add to another 44,000 that were used during the 2017 elections.
Chebukati said a total of 45,000 kits were used during the last polls but some were damaged.
The additional kits are expected to be deployed to new polling stations that will be created to accommodate recently enlisted voters.
He said audit giant KPMG International Limited has been contracted to audit the voters register.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)
