Lawyers vote in LSK elections after hitch

Two senior lawyers were almost locked out of voting in LSK elections on Thursday after failing to produce their original ID cards.

Mr Paul Muite and Dr John Khaminwa were turned away by election officials at a voting centre on the fourth floor of the Milimani Law Courts.

Mr Muite left the room to go and get his original national identification (ID) card. He had carried a photocopy.

Meanwhile, for Dr Khaminwa, a diary and the fact that he is a senior LSK member were enough identification.

Presiding officer Peter Muigai explained to him that he could only vote after positively identifying himself using either a national ID card or a Law Society of Kenya card. Dr Khaminwa had neither.

“I have my diary!” he shouted, presenting a big diary.

But Mr Muigai was adamant. Dr Khaminwa walked out in loud protest. He returned a few minutes later with LSK elections committee member Justus Maithya in tow.

Mr Maithya said LSK boss Apollo Mboya had contacted IEBC chairman Isaack Hassan to authorise that Dr Khaminwa vote. An hour later, Dr Khaminwa cast his ballot.

Mr Muite told the Nation by telephone that he finally voted at around 3pm after he returned with his original ID card.

For the first time, the elections were supervised by the electoral body. The results were transmitted electronically to a national tallying centre at the LSK head office in Lavington.

Either Mr John Mburu or Mr Eric Mutua will be elected to replace Mr Kenneth Akide, the outgoing chairman. They were the only candidates for the position. (READ: New era LSK polls fail affirmative action test)

Counting of votes at the 24 polling stations in the country is on, and the final results may be announced at about 6.30pm, according to Mr Mboya.