IEBC Chair Wafula Chebukati is up in arms against the government for arresting three Venezuelans he says are key election officials from a firm contracted by them.
In a statement late Thursday night, Chebukati said the three Venezuelans arrested at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport are " are key personnel responsible for deployment and management of election technology infrastructure".
He expressed disappointment in the arrests terming their detention as tantamount to intimidation.
"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 in a press release.
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The three personnel, according to Chebukati, are employees of Smartmatic International B.V.
They were put behind bars upon arrival at JKIA from Venezuela.
Chebukati claimed that the commission CEO Hussein Marjan tried to explain to the authorities why the three were in the country but they would not take it.
"The Commission has a valid legal contract executed between itself and Smartmatic International B.V. for the supply, delivery, installation, testing, commissioning, support, and maintenance of the Kenya Integrated Election Management System," Chebukati said.
"The Commission is concerned about this unjustified intimidation, harassment, and blackmail whatsoever and demands the immediate release of the three employees of SmartmaticInternational B.V."
He further warned that the arrests could negatively affect preparations for the polls.
Chebukati said they are relying on the three to set up key infrastructure to enable the coming elections to run smoothly.
"...the arrest and continued holding of the personnel has the inevitable effect of hampering the deployment of technology in the forthcoming General Election. Technology plays a central role in elections and the commission wonders what the intention behind the holding of the technical personnel is meant to achieve," Chebukati stated.
