Police Headquarters have reported that the three foreigners held at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport were arrested because proper procedure was not followed in the transportation and delivery of election materials.
Moreover, Police Spokesman Bruno Shioso confirmed that the three, from Venezuela were arrested on arrival at JKIA with election stickers.
“There is a procedure to be followed by IEBC in transporting such material, they were not declared and they were not accompanied by any official from the electoral commission.” He stated.
Likewise, remarks from the police headquarters follows demands by IEBC for the immediate release of the 3 foreigners who arrived Thursday, July 21 from Venezuela.
Similarly, the three officials from Smartmatic International B.V were apprehended on arrival at the airport. This is because they failed to explain how they were delivering sensitive election materials contrary to security and government protocol.
“The commission is concerned about this unjustified intimidation, harassment and blackmail whatsoever and demands the immediate release of the three employees of Smartmatic International B.V,” said Wafula Chebukati, said in a statement to the media Friday, July 22 morning.
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According to the IEBC chairman, the commision has a legal contract with Smartmatic International B.V, the firm contracted to supply technology materials for the August 9 polls. Thence they do not understand why police detained its officials.
Moreover, Smartmatic International B.V is contracted to supply, deliver, install, test, commission, support and maintain the Kenya Integrated Election Management System (KIEMS) kits which will be deployed in the election.
Also Read: Chebukati Decries Arrest Of 3 Election Personnel At JKIA
In a press statement released on Friday morning, Chebukati reported that security agencies had declined to release the three officials despite confirmation from IEBC Chief Executive Officer Hussein Marjan that they were delivering the materials to the commission.
“The brazen decision of the security authorities to arrest, detain and confine in a solitary hideout the three personnel without justification is an exhibition of intimidation on hardworking persons who are only keen to deliver a robust technology infrastructure for conduct of a credible, secure and verifiable election,” Chebukati said.