IIEC changes tack in Nairobi by-elections

Voters in Makadara, Starehe and Juja constituencies will have their right index finger marked with indelible ink instead of the left one.

This is because some voters still have the ink on their left index finger after casting their ballots during the referendum on the new constitution last month.

The by-elections have been occasioned by successful court cases which saw three MPs lose their seats.

Presiding officers will also be retrained on filling of forms 17 and 16a to avoid the malpractices that saw many of the elections nullified.

An Interim Independent Electoral Commission member, Mr Davis Chirchir, said this during a meeting with aspirants and their representatives at the Norfolk hotel, Nairobi.

He said the commission would hire queue clerks to help in polling stations with more than one stream.

Mr Chirchir said some names are very common and have more than 3,000 voters at a polling station requiring more queues.

These are some of the issues that cropped up during the August 4, 2010 referendum.

To ensure that the electronic voter tallying does not crash and delay the release of the votes the commission is in talks with phone firms Zain and Safaricom to ensure their maintenance activities take place before or after the by-elections.

In Starehe, candidates intensified their campaigns urging residents to turn up in large numbers and vote on September 20.

National Patriotic Party candidate David Wakahiu addressed gatherings in Mlango Kubwa and Huruma areas where he urged residents to unite and avoid violence.

Mr David Waithaka Wagacha expressed confidence that young people working in the informal sector especially in Muthurwa, Grogan road and informal settlements of Mathare will vote for him.

In Makadara, Ms Lindy Wafula of Nuru Party and Samuel Obiero of New Democrats party expressed confidence they will win.