It’s all systems go for Makueni by-election

IEBC chief executive James Oswago (left) with chairman Isaack Hassan. Voters Friday troop to polling stations across Makueni County to elect a new senator in a race that has reignited the epic rivalry between the ruling Jubilee and opposition Cord coalitions. PHOTO/FILE

What you need to know:

  • Security has been tightened in Makueni with 1,000 police officers deployed in the six constituencies.
  • The campaigns for the Jubilee Coalition have been marred by heckling while on Wednesday, youths blockaded a road and harassed motorists following claims that vehicles were ferrying pre-marked ballot papers to polling stations. Police said the allegations were untrue. Two people were arrested in connection with the unrest.

Voters Friday troop to polling stations across Makueni County to elect a new senator in a race that has reignited the epic rivalry between the ruling Jubilee and opposition Cord coalitions.

By Thursday, electoral officials had airlifted ballot papers to the 914 polling stations, including those in the furthest corners of the vast county, in readiness for the by-election which will be a major test for the embattled Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

On Wednesday, a Nairobi court allowed IEBC to paste the name of one of the contestants — Mr Mutula Kilonzo Junior — on the pre-printed ballot paper.

The court gave the greenlight to prevent a constitutional crisis since the supreme law dictates that a by-election must be held within 90 days of a seat falling vacant.

Mr Kilonzo was cleared to vie for the seat after his sister, Ms Kethi Kilonzo, was disqualified because she was not a registered voter.

Security has been tightened in Makueni with 1,000 police officers deployed in the six constituencies.

IEBC chief executive officer James Oswago has asked voters to keep the peace.

Police have also asked the five candidates in the race to restrain their supporters.

The campaigns for the Jubilee Coalition have been marred by heckling while on Wednesday, youths blockaded a road and harassed motorists following claims that vehicles were ferrying pre-marked ballot papers to polling stations. Police said the allegations were untrue. Two people were arrested in connection with the unrest.

Thursday, the County Police Commander Waithera Kipsoi said at two police officers will man every polling station. Each voting centre, usually a public primary school, can have as many as ten voting streams.

“We are fully prepared. We have enough officers from Makueni County and the surrounding regions,” Ms Kipsoi said in an interview with the Nation at the county police headquarters.
Officers from the National Youth Service will also help in managing the elections.

A team of senior police officers will be deployed at tallying centres to control crowds.Wote and Makindu towns have been identified as potential violence hotspots.

Wiper Democratic Party’s Mutula Kilonzo Junior for the Cord coalition has a headstart in the race to fill the position left vacant by the death of his father, Mutula Kilonzo, in April.

Also in the race are Jthe Jubilee coalitions Prof Philip Kaloki (Narc), Mr John Harun Mwau (Party of Independent Candidates of Kenya), Ms Jane Kitundu (Labour Party of Kenya) and an independent candidate, Mr Urbanus Katumo.

Both Mr Raila Odinga and Mr Kalonzo Musyoka of Cord have been leading the campaigns for Mr Kilonzo Jnr while Jubilee leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Kithure Kindiki have been campaigning for Prof Kaloki.

Yesterday, a team from the IEBC camped at the Bomas of Kenya to superimpose the name of Mr Kilonzo Jnr on ballot papers following his late entry into the race.

Maj (Rtd) Oswago said that the IEBC had no choice but to superimpose the name to avoid last minute hitches.

“If we didn’t tell the printers to start printing in advance, this by-election will not have taken place. We took the risk and it is worth it,” he said in a telephone interview. “If we had sat down and asked the printer to do a fresh job, we would be talking a different language.”

The commission started flying the ballot papers to far-flung areas at 3pm Thursday.

“All areas will receive ballot papers during daylight,” said Mr Oswago.

He confirmed that the by-election will will use the electronic voter identification devices (Evids) — some which failed during the March 4 elections — to ensure there was no double voting.

Results from polling stations will be transmitted electronically through the results transmission system (RTS) to the tallying centre in Wote. The RTS also failed during the General Election.

“We have the Evids and this time, they will work 100 per cent. The electronic transmission system will work in Makueni and we will be streaming the results as they come,” Mr Oswago said.

He asked political parties to ensure they have agents at each polling station to minimise complaints of irregularities

“We want every political party to bring an agent because their presence and that of observers is very necessary. However, we ask all political parties and their supporters to allow the commission staff to do their work,” he said.