Tallying error noticed after declaring Babu Owino winner, says IEBC official

The Returning Officer in charge of Embakasi-East Constituency in the August 8, 2017 election on Tuesday said he realised there was a tallying error after declaring Babu Owino winner of the parliamentary election.

Mr. Nicholas Kipkorir Butuk, who was based at The School of Aviation tallying centre, spoke while testifying in a petition challenging the election of Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.

Appearing before Justice Joseph Sergon, Mr. Butuk told the court the error was as a result of a wrong formula used in tallying the final results received from various polling centres.

He however clarified that the error could not have changed the outcome of the election, adding that it only affected the last four out of the ten candidates who were in the race for the Embakasi East parliamentary seat.

“The first two candidates’ results were however among those results which were never affected and the error could not have changed outcome of the election,” said Butuk during a cross-examination by the petitioner’s advocate.

The returning officer further told the court that during the final stage of tallying, he was under duress from Babu Owino since he had misplaced Form 35C which he was supposed to fill and declare the winner. He, however, went ahead to declare Babu the winner without the document.

“During the final stage of the tallying process, I realised that form 35C which is used to declare the winner, was missing. I had to look for it first but Babu Owino got impatient and went crazy. I was under pressure but I would not have announced different results because he was still the winner from the results we tallied,” Butuk clarified.

Asked by advocate Awele if Babu’s reaction could be justified, Butuk said that he could not justify the reaction because he was not to leave the vicinity of the tallying centre and it was unnecessary for Babu to worry.

The case is at a climax after the petitioner, Francis Mureithi closed his case, with the IEBC and Babu Owino now set to present their witnesses. The hearing of the case continues.